A Shift in Time's Clockworks
by jellyjulie
Summary: When Harry falls back in time, [to the Marauder's seventh year, in fact], and finally allowed time with the parents he never knew, what will be the effect on Lily and James? First fic, please R&R, PreHBP.
1. Harry

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and any O/C I make up, if I do make any up, that is. Most of this belongs to Jo!  
  
(A/N: This is my first fic, so if you wanna flame go ahead, but go easy on me! Please review, trust me, it will get better, this is just the beginning. I'll update as soon as I can. Enjoy!)  
  
A Shift in Time's Clockworks  
  
"Harry... Harry? Do you want your timetable?" asked Hermione.  
  
Harry blinked and brought his eyes back into focus. The setting of the Great Hall jumped towards him, as did his the faces of his two best friends, Ron and Hermione. Both of them were sporting worried faces as they gazed intently at him.  
  
"What? Oh- yeah, thanks," mumbled Harry. He let his mind wander once again, and returned to the slightly fluttering, almost-innocent black veil he had seen so many times this summer already. Where Sirius had d- when Sirius had g-  
  
"Come on, we better to our classes," said Hermione, always eager for the new school year to begin.  
  
"Yeh," muttered Ron. "Ah, of course... Snape first."  
  
Both he and Harry had been accepted into Snape's NEWT Potions class, much to their amazement. Harry had an inkling that Dumbledore might have had something to do with it. Harry had not spoken to his Headmaster since Dumbledore had informed of the past that now directly affected his future, even during his one and a half month stay at the Burrow. He had been glad the Weasleys were not staying at Grimmauld Place when he arrived... he didn't think he could bear being inside Sirius' house when its owner would not be there.  
  
Hermione, or course, taking as many classes as she could, due to the fact that she had not yet decided what she would do when she became of age. So she joined Harry and Ron as they set off towards the dungeons, for the toughest Potions class they had ever encountered.  
  
Snape set them brewing the Polyjuice Potion, which, he told them, they would continue to brew and mature for the next month. Harry, Ron and Hermione smirked at each other when Snape told them his plans- and perhaps that was why he started firing revision questions at them. Hermione flourished with her results but Harry and Ron received detentions for their abysmal answers.  
  
"Stupid git," complained Ron. "You don't see him giving the Slytherins detention, do you?"  
  
Snape's Potions class was predominantly made up of Slytherins, with half as many Ravenclaws, five Gryffindor (including Ron, Harry and Hermione) and only one Hufflepuff, who spent the lesson sitting in the corner, speaking only when called upon.  
  
Harry's week didn't improve much. During his detention, in which he was made to clean up the dungeon storeroom with Ron, they overheard Snape telling McGonagall about the two 'failures' in his sixth year NEWT class.  
  
"They are insolent and immature at the best of times," complained Snape in a low voice, trying to remain unheard but obviously not succeeding.  
  
"I'll have a talk to Potter and Weasley, and try to knock some sense into them," promised McGonagall.  
  
They two then went on to discuss how the school year was going so far. Ron looked disgusted and rather annoyed, as he whispered, "I was hoping they'd mention the Order."  
  
Harry, too, was curious as to what Voldemort was up to these days... no one had heard much since the battle in the Department of Mysteries, where Sirius had died...  
  
It was these facts that Harry dwelled on throughout the week, causing his grades to slip, his teachers to give him extra homework and for his snappish manner that he had retained at the start of last year to return.  
  
Their weekend became a small mountain of homework, due to turn into a volcano and explode at any moment. To make this task more enjoyable, Ron and Hermione convinced Harry to join them outside under the beech tree by the lake and enjoy the early September weather.  
  
Harry sat, watching the lake, a comfortable breeze playing across his face as the afternoon's sun shined upon him and his friends. He followed the line of sun around the lake, watched it glinting off the icy water and onto a small, compact, gold thing...  
  
Harry casually got up, though quietly, so as to not disturb his two working friends. He worked his way slowly toward the golden object, lifting his feet high off the ground in a deliberate attempt to miss the tree roots. When he reached the root where the gold object lay, snagged on one of the wooden knots.  
  
"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione's voice seemed far away. As Harry reached out his hand to pick it up, he waved Hermione down with the other hand.  
  
"Harry, seriously mate, don't touch it," said Ron trying to disguise the feeble anxiousness in his voice.  
  
And as Harry's fingers closed around it, everything changed...  
  
(A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! I promise things will get more interesting soon!) 


	2. The Time Turner

(A/N: Eeek! I see what everyone means about too short! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love it; this is my first fic so I was really happy with the results. I promise to write more in future, but I'm still getting the hang of all this techno crap, so I'll see what I can do in the mean time. Enjoy Chapter two! Btw, don't worry, madderthanyou, this will DEFINITELY not be a slash; it's a Lily/James fic.)  
  
Chapter Two: The Time Turner  
  
The world around Harry seemed to spiral into non-existence... Harry could see spinning people, scenery and even... no... time?  
  
The sign that marked the year, normally placed above the Hogwarts crest on Front doors, was flying, spinning, swooping all around him. Harry's eyes caught sight of it and he watched the sign, as it flipped number over number back, back in time...  
  
And Harry understood- he was not going back seconds, or minutes, he was not going back hours, days, weeks or even months... he was going back years... The numbers on the sign clicked to a grinding halt on 1977, and the spinning stopped as suddenly as it started. The Hogwarts' grounds came back into his focus, and Harry looked at the gold thing that stay lay in his hand. It was a Time Turner.  
  
He was numb with shock and disbelief. Only this very same afternoon he had been living, breathing, in 1996. It did not seem possible, let alone probable... But slowly the truth set upon him... He had used a time turner once before, just over two years ago... He knew what they could do... He realized where he was; where he now breathed, was other people's homes...  
  
Harry remained under the beech tree, still in shock, unwilling to answer any probing questions from students who he knew as old enough to be his mother and father...  
  
"Hang on!" muttered Harry aloud, his insides exploding. "Mu-mum and Dad! Sirius!"  
  
And with that triumphant thought; encircling his mind, bearing down on the negativities and attacking them like a hawk; he ran: all the way up to the castle steps, bursting through the front doors, and-  
  
Nobody. There was no one. Not one single body; neither pale, tanned or translucent; was to be seen in the giant Entrance Hall. As he did not know yet what time it was in 1977, he could not tell if people were eating, learning, sleeping (well, sleeping in, anyway), or plain just mucking around. Perhaps they were in their dormitories?  
  
"Yes," mumbled Harry, and without further ado he sprinted towards the place where he knew the Gryffindor common room was concealed, after all, he usually spent a lot of time in it. It was probably a good thing he had read Hermione's History of Magic notes before OWLs last year, he reflected, because he distinctly remembered them stating the fact that Hogwarts Castle had not been renovated since 1254.  
  
He was running as fast as he could, determined not a waste a second of his precious time, how long would it last, he did not know... he hurtled down a passageway and then another, found one of his secret passageways, and in his haste, tore it almost in half... without looking back, he jerked his wand over his shoulder and yelled "Reparo!"  
  
Harry kept running. He had never run so far in his life... or so fast... he turned a corner, looked back to see if he was going the write way and-  
  
BANG.  
  
Harry was on the floor before he stopped running. He quickly averted his gaze from the back of the person he had knocked into, and with one hand rubbing his right elbow, where he had fallen, he looked right into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Can I help you, er...? I'm sorry; I believe I have forgotten your name." Dumbledore smiled enchantingly at Harry, without so much as a word of admonishment for Harry's clumsiness.  
  
"No, thankyou, Professor," said Harry politely. He wanted to see Lily and James more than anything, and did not want to give the Headmaster anymore reason to hold him from his goal, but... he was itching to know...  
  
"What _is_ your name, lad?" asked the Headmaster inquisitively. His benign blue eyes twinkled in the afternoon sunlight that streamed through the windows.  
  
"Er... Harry Potter."  
  
"Oh, I see. You had better come inside then." Dumbledore's face was styled in a gray fashion before the smile broke out encouragingly once more.  
  
The two walked into Dumbledore's office, not for the first time, though when Harry usually visited, it was twenty years into today's future. This startling fact occurred to Harry as he took his seat at Dumbledore's desk, on opposite sides to the Headmaster.  
  
Dumbledore busied himself with one of the small silver objects located on his desk, that Harry had only seen him use once before; last December. Or what he thought was last December.  
  
Harry took the time to look around and noticed Fawkes the phoenix sitting quietly on his stand, proud and straight-backed. The phenomenal bird fluttered over to perch itself upon Harry's knee. Instantly, Fawkes began to peck the pockets of Harry's robes to find something- and he found it. The phoenix pulled out Harry's wand and began trying to stick it in with his feathers.  
  
"Then I see my calculations are correct," said the Headmaster softly, with another smile.  
  
Harry looked up from Fawkes to see Dumbledore standing at his side, gently taking the wand from Fawkes and handing it back to Harry.  
  
"Thankyou," said Harry.  
  
"So, let's just get our facts straight, shall we?" stated Dumbledore. "You are Harry James Potter. You wand consists of holly and a phoenix feather from Fawkes. 11 Inches? Yes, that's right. Your parents are Lily Madison Evans and James Christopher Potter. You have never known you're parents, due to the fact that they died in the attack on Hallowe'en in 1981, correct?"  
  
"Yes," said Harry nervously.  
  
"Harry, I need you to tell me everything that happened this afternoon, and ask me anything you want."  
  
"Alright." He swallowed. "I was out by the lake doing homework with Ron and Hermione, when-"  
  
"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger?" questioned Dumbledore, acknowledging the piece parchment in front of him.  
  
"Yes. Then I got up, and saw this gold thing, which was the Time Turner, but I didn't realize it at the time, and..." Harry recounted the afternoon's events, with Dumbledore occasionally stopping him for reference.  
  
"Professor... what is the exact time?" Harry asked when he was finished.  
  
Dumbledore seemed to be knocked out of his stupor rather quickly. He looked up, and replied; "It is Saturday, September 8th, 1977, 5:30 pm. I believe Lily, James and their friends are in their seventh year. You parents are Head Boy and Girl."  
  
The Headmaster sighed, then spoke again. "You know what I must ask, Harry."  
  
"Yes, I do." Harry stared determinedly, out the window. Students were taking a break before dinner underneath the shade of the trees on the water's edge.  
  
"I can only permit you to make Lily and James aware of your existence. You can tell them when they die, if you wish, but only them. You cannot tell them of Peter's traitorous acts, Sirius' death nor time in Azkaban, or that about the prophecy."  
  
"The first one?" asked Harry. He had not even told Ron and Hermione yet.  
  
"No, the second one, concerning – er – Wormtail." Harry smiled at Dumbledore's use of the Marauder's names.  
  
"I won't. But, one last thing, Professor... how long have I got with them?"  
  
"Four weeks is all I can permit Harry, or the laws of time will unbalance. When I return you to 1996, no time will have passed."  
  
"Thankyou, Professor, for- for everything." 


	3. James and Lily

(A/N: I found it really hard to write this chapter, so bear with me if you don't like it... if you don't- tell me!)

****  
Chapter Three: James and Lily  
  
As Harry left the office, he reflected on what Dumbledore had said... it would be hard enough to not forewarn Sirius of his death, let alone warn the Marauders of Peter's real intentions...  
  
With these thoughts burdening his mind, he went back down to the beech tree beside the lake to think, before he met up with his parents. _What if they don't like me?_ Harry worried. _What if Dad is still an idiot... He and Mum might never get together after this!  
_  
Worries and thoughts of what he could possibly say to the parents he had never known preoccupied Harry's mind. He sat under the beech tree for about an hour, thinking of the possibilities he could say... when Harry thought he had it right, he turned back towards Hogwarts and entered through the giant oak doors, when-  
  
"POTTER!" screeched a voice. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Harry turned at the voice, and laid eyes on his seventeen year old mother.  
  
"Mum?" he whispered, then spoke again, louder this time. "Uh... I was just going- to –ah..."  
  
"I know what you're doing, James." James? James? Harry understood: she thought Harry was his own father.  
  
Lily walked closer. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mu- er- Evans." Harry tried to keep calm, using the name he had heard his father call Lily once before.  
  
"You were trying to hex Snape again, weren't you? Well, _Potter_, I'll have you know that he is at dinner, where _you_ should be too!"  
  
She was right in front of him now. Harry tried to control the excitement that had just burst into the pit of his stomach. But Harry saw the look on her face, and realized that she knew...  
  
"You're not Potter!" she whispered.  
  
"Actually, I am. Hello. I'm Harry, Harry Potter."  
  
"I didn't know James had a brother!" Lily was still whispering, apparently out of shock.  
  
"He doesn't... I think... but, uh- Lily could please go get Da- James? There's something I want to tell you both."  
  
Lily walked away, slightly taken aback by the fact that she, the Head Girl, was taking another student's orders and not the other way around. But... she couldn't help noticing how much he looked like James... except for his eyes... green like Lily's own... they were _her_ eyes!  
  
Lily soon returned, though James accompanied her this time. They wore identical, puzzled looks on their faces, and Harry could not understand why they disliked each other so much.  
  
"See? I told you how much he looked like you!" said Lily triumphantly.  
  
"This is weird," murmured James fervently, staring avidly at the boy in front of him.  
  
"He's not a distant cousin of yours, is he?" asked Lily. She didn't know all that much about James to begin with.  
  
"No," said James quickly. "I'm an only child and so are Mum and Dad."  
  
They both turned back to Harry. "Who are you?" they said, in disbelief and unison.  
  
"Err... well, I don't really know how to say this, but... er... I'm your son."

James was simply astounded. "How old are you?" he demanded.  
  
"I'm sixteen," said Harry quickly.  
  
"Well then, what's your name?"  
  
"Harry."  
  
James' eyes traveled past Harry's and performed the familiar flick up to his scar. "How'd you get that?" It seemed that James wasn't willing to take the information Harry had just given him in.  
  
Lily finally spoke... "I always wanted to name my son Harry," she murmured. "But- but this is mad! Impossible! I would have had to have been one when you were born! I didn't even know Potter then!"  
  
"He's just a lunatic, Evans, don't worry about him," said James. "Look, mate, I think you need to go see Professor Dumbledore, I-"  
  
"But, Potter! Look at his eyes! They're the same as mine! Size, shape, colour, everything! And apart from that... he looks _exactly_ like you!"  
  
"It's impossible, Evans! We don't have any kids! Well, I don't- I wouldn't really know about _you_-"  
  
Lily smacked him right across the face. James sat back down, glaring at her with one hand pressed against his glowing right cheek.  
  
Harry took this opportunity to jump into the conversation. "Look, shut up, or I'll hex you. Won't you at least let me explain how you came to have me?"  
  
"Go for it," muttered James bitterly. Lily just nodded. She looked amazed at what she had just done, but also looked as though she felt it had been a long time coming.  
  
Harry launched right into his explanation. "Well, this afternoon, I was in 1996, and-"  
  
"WHAT? 1996? Lily, he's mad, get rid of him, get Dumbledore!"  
  
"Oh, do it yourself, Potter. I'd rather hear what –Harry, isn't it? - has to say."  
  
Harry looked at her, grateful for the chance to finish his tale. "This afternoon, in 1996, I was sitting on the Hogwarts grounds, doing homework. I saw this gold thing, picked it up, and it took back to 1977, because it was a Time Turner."  
  
Lily looked up at this. "A Time Turner?" She had had experience with these devices before, back when she was in fourth year.  
  
Even James was mildly interested. "What the hell would that be?" he asked. Lily scowled at him.  
  
"It allows the person wearing or holding it to transport themselves into the past or the future." Lily reminded Harry irresistibly of Hermione, causing him to smirk.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked James gruffly.  
  
"Nothing," lied Harry. "Look, I've already been to see Dumbledore. He understands, and he believes me."  
  
This seemed to confirm to the Head Boy and Girl that the skinny, sixteen year old boy standing in front of them, was their son.  
  
"He does?" said James. "Well then- welcome to the family, son!" James grinned and pulled Harry into a one-armed hug. Harry grinned too, relieved that the man who had earlier been so stand-offish did not really hate him.  
  
Lily, though finding the information a little hard too accept, walked forward too and hugged him.  
  
"So... lets me get this straight- James and I hate each other, yet we get married and have a _kid_?" Lily was a little disbelieving.  
  
"Sounds about right." Harry grinned... he knew he had to tell them sooner or later. He would do it now. "Can you both sit back down? There's something I have to tell you. And you're not going to like it one bit." 


	4. The Secrets of Death

(A/N: It's getting to the juicy stuff now! Hope everyone's still enjoying my fic, but if you're not... tell me! Tell me if you are, too- all reviews are REALLY appreciated! BTW- Some facts about Lily/James/Harry may be estimated. THANKS HEAPS!)

****  
  
Chapter Four: The Secrets of Death  
  
Harry was right. They did not like it all. When Harry finished explaining to his mother and father that they would die by the age of 22, neither of the two were speaking.  
  
James' brain was on the verge of overload. Here he was, a sixteen year old boy in front of him, spouting the secrets of James', and Lily's, deaths... something James had not wanted to find out until a much older age, thank you very much.  
  
And the thought of he and Lily married, and both parents... _Preposterous!_ Thought James, his head buzzing. _Lily and I hate each other!_ He turned back to the boy in front of him, Harry, and realized with a jolt that his own flesh and blood was now sitting before him. James had always wanted a family... but not when he was seventeen!  
  
Lily, thoughtful and demure, sat back and let her mind wander over the facts that had now been given to her. So she was going to die by the time she was 22, marry James Christopher Potter and have a child named Harry?  
  
"Why do we die? How?" asked James, interrupting Lily's train of thought. By now she had almost learnt to tune Potter out, but she too was wondering...  
  
"Have either of you ever heard of a wizard named Voldemort?" asked Harry quietly.  
  
All at once, the two faces that had remained confused and anxious since Harry had met them that evening, turned white. A sort of blankness covered the beauty that usually flowed so freely from Lily's eyes, leaving a thick outer layer of loathing... and ... _loss..._  
  
"He killed my parents," said Lily in a monotone. Tears pricked at her eyes but she fought them back. "Did he- does he- you know- kill us too?"  
  
Harry nodded his head gravely and James and Lily gasped in chorus.  
  
"He kills you because... he wants to kill me. See, there's this prophecy, that Dumbledore heard, and it was made a couple months before I was born...  
  
_" 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied, born as the seventh month dies... the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord know's not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...' "_  
  
Once again, James and Lily were silent, though James looked more impressed than astounded.  
  
"So we escape Voldemort three times?" he asked Harry excitedly.  
  
"Uh... well, yeah!" smiled Harry, happy to see his father come out of the cloud of despair that had surrounded him since Lily dragged him out of the Great Hall during dinner that evening.  
  
Lily's face was study. She was so good at keeping her thoughts hidden behind the blankness that sometimes appeared in her eyes that Harry suspected she had had a lot of practise.  
  
"Harry... does the prophecy mean that either you have to kill Voldemort or... or die?" She looked on the verge of a breakdown. Harry stared in to her emerald eyes; eyes so much like his own, he felt that he was looking in a mirror almost. Once more, he nodded, and Lily cast her eyes downwards, then up again at James. She continued to glare at him. Harry could not see what James had done wrong, so he continued to watch the saga, until a tremendous noise burst out of the Great Hall, whose doors had just opened.  
  
"Dinner's finished," announced James, searching for his friends.  
  
"Really? I hadn't noticed!" muttered Lily under her breath.  
  
"Well, anyway, we've got to- SIRIUS! OVER HERE!" James hailed his best friend over, who waded through the tide of Hogwarts students now flowing furiously out of the Great Hall and towards common rooms. Sirius was closely followed by two other students: one tall and fair, the other short and plump with watery eyes. The short boy tripped over another student's foot in his haste to follow Sirius, and was graciously returned to his feet by the tall boy.  
  
Excitement exploded in the pit of Harry's stomach. Sirius! Here, in the flesh, a living, breathing human; Harry's godfather.  
  
And Lupin! Harry recognized him now. God, he had changed so much from now to the Lupin he knew back in 1996. Harry wondered what happened to cause so much change... his eyes shone, his clothes were impeccable, and yet, there seemed to be an air of untold mystery about, like he was hiding a secret...  
  
James' friends had reached Harry, Lily and James, and as he now came face to face with the four original Marauders, his heart throbbed in his adam's apple...  
  
"Sirius!" cried out James and Harry at the same time, causing hearty laughs from all around.  
  
"Uh... James has told me a lot about you," said Harry blushingly.  
  
"Has he? Well, aren't you the lucky one?" Sirius replied arrogantly.  
  
Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to ask Harry another question, but Sirius got in first.  
  
"Who are you, by the way?"  
  
James and Harry looked at each other, with James grinning; all Harry felt was a sense of foreboding. No, he thought suddenly, Wormtail mustn't know. Tell them later! He tried sending ESP messages to his father furiously, but nothing seemed to work.  
  
"Guys, I'd like you to meet my-"  
  
"Cousin! Hi! I'm Harry!" Harry's thoughts stumbled over each other in their haste to cut James off, and so the words came spilling out of his mouth.  
  
Both James and Lily looked at him with surprised, yet confused, looks on their faces. Once again, Harry could not understand why they weren't together. "Tell you later," Harry muttered to them.  
  
"Well, you could tell he's your cousin mate," said Sirius to James, who clearly had not noticed a thing. The same was with Peter, though as he, James and Sirius chatted about their latest idea for tormenting Snape Remus looked suspiciously at Harry.  
  
When Remus turned his attention back the Marauder's highly energetic conversation, Lily pulled Harry to his feet.  
  
"Come on," she muttered, though this time with a smile. "I'll show you where I live."


	5. Bighead Boy

(A/n: Blah!)  
  
Chapter Five: Bighead Boy

****  
  
Harry gaped. His jaw literally dropped as he surveyed the room in front of him. There were comfy chintz armchairs, squashy cushions, colourful bean bags and what looked like half a library, scattered decoratively around the Head Boy and Girl's common room. Lily and James were also equipped with a stove, a cupboard stocked to the brim with everything from Pumpkin Pasties to butter, and a roaring fire. The room was circular; the room was obviously part of tower, and most likely Eastern one too, judging from the view from the window in the common room.  
  
Lily smiled at Harry's astounded reaction. "There are _some_ perks to be Head Girl."  
  
Harry gave a chuckle that caught back in his throat. "Yeah, just a few!"  
  
"Come on, I'll show our rooms," said Lily, leading him towards one of the four doors that lead off from the room.  
  
She opened the door and a bathroom came into sight. It was evidently Lily's; the tiling was white with a sunny yellow tiled border running the gap between the tiles and the roof. A sunken bath sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by more white tiles, with a series of taps around the edge like the bath in the Prefect's bathroom. Pieces of artwork adorned the walls; some in pastel tones, others just strong, dark colours, in strong, dark lines.  
  
"Who did those?" asked Harry, pointing.  
  
"I did." She replied, a pink tinge appearing in her cheeks. "Do you like them?"  
  
"They're great!" said Harry. "You should do more."  
  
"Thanks... Maybe I will!" Lily glowed at his comments, and Harry suspected she hadn't shown many people.  
  
She walked out of the bathroom, and Harry followed, pulling the door shut as he went... So his mum was an artist? _Who knew?_ He asked himself. Harry was beginning to get the feeling that there was a lot more to Lily Evans than met the eye.  
  
She showed his the other rooms, each as grand as the last. Lily's was adorned with pictures of her parents, friends and other pieces of artwork; her bed had a baby-yellow bedspread, which Lily said was her favourite colour. Another window resided in her room; it had been thrown open for fresh air and the soft white curtains that hung from it fluttered in the breeze. Harry looked out of the window and saw the four Marauders chatting animatedly by the lake.  
  
James' room was a Quidditch sight to behold. Posters of the top teams and the league's ladders stuck to his walls, which were all white except for the wall where the door was situated, which was black. Both rooms had four poster beds, but James' was hung with a string of fairy eggs that glowed faintly in the twilight.  
  
James' bathroom was different again, though much the same as Lily's, accept the feature colours were scarlet and gold. An image of the Hogwarts' Quidditch Cup was plastered to one wall, along with a list of what looked like James' plans for the year...  
  
_Start of School Resolutions  
1. Give out as many detentions to the idiotic Slytherins as possible.  
2. WIN QUIDDITCH CUP!  
3. Prank Snivellus at least once a week.  
4. Pass the map on to most deserving student on last day.  
5. Fall in love.  
_  
Lily was embarrassed. "I- I honestly didn't know that was there... I mean, I haven't even been in here yet..."  
  
Harry just smirked. "He's gone all soft on us!"  
  
"Have _not_," said an indignant voice from the door. Harry and Lily whirled around to see James leaning back on the wall, trying, but failing, to not smile.  
  
"Sure, sure," grinned Harry, as James ushered them out. They sat down in the comfy armchairs surrounding the fire, as it emitted sparks as it burn steadily through the logs inside.  
  
"So... exactly how long are you planning on staying, Harry?" asked James nonchalantly, surveying Harry with his hazel eyes.  
  
"Uh... Dumbledore said four weeks," replied Harry, trying to sound casual.  
  
"Only four?" said James, sounding disappointed. He realized that this was his only chance to ever get to know his son properly, and he was going make sure he did just that. "Well, I hope you're not planning on wasting that time in class! Accompanied by me, of course, just so you're safe." He winked, a threw a hand through his hair.  
  
Harry grinned, but Lily almost fell out of her chair in shock.  
  
"James!" she scolded. "You are here to set an _example_, you know!"  
  
"What ever," muttered James, raising a hand to ruffle his hair again.  
  
"And stop doing that!" she added crossly.  
  
"Well, I'm off, got a meeting with the boys... Lily, find his somewhere to sleep, won't you, Evans?"  
  
"I am not you're slave, Potter!" she yelled angrily.  
  
"Ok then," said James, as he drifted out the door.  
  
Lily let out a noise, somewhere between a frustrated scream and a sigh. "He is so annoying!" she yelled. "Harry, how on earth do we get together?"  
  
"Actually, I've been wondering that myself," said Harry, _"Mum."_  
  
This word alone tore Lily away from her anger. "No one's ever called me that before," she said softly. "Obviously... but... he's just so annoying! Ruffling his hair, walking around the school like he owns the place, and tormenting Snape whenever he gets the chance..."  
  
"Speaking of chances... Why don't you give James one? Maybe you just don't know him very well."  
  
"Let's just say, Harry, that Bighead Boy is _definitely_ not my type."


	6. A Tiger: Lily

(A/N: Hope I'm living up to everyone's standards... enjoy the latest chapter! Please review because I love them!)  
  
Chapter Six: A Tiger: Lily  
  
Harry stayed in the seventh year Gryffindor boy's common room that evening. Lily protested, saying she or James could sleep on the couch, but Harry stubbornly refused to gatecrash.  
  
"No way," he said firmly. "You guys will be busy; I'll just get in the way. Besides, it'll be great to have little chat with the other Marauders!"  
  
Lily smiled and eventually gave in, and helped Harry steal a few of James' things for Harry to wear for the week.  
  
Harry smirked when he pulled out the Marauder's Map from the trunk where they were gathering clothes. Three dot-figures and a question mark were running a muck in the passage way that Harry knew left off to the Shrieking Shack; even before he looked at the names above the dots, he had a shrewd idea who was out there. He stared at the full moon through the window in James' room, and wondering why Remus, as a werewolf, was shown as a question mark.  
  
Harry was just settling in to a bed that had been placed especially for him in the boy's dorms, looking at his name on a piece of card that had been placed on his pillow; when Sirius and Peter walked in the door, still chatting animatedly about their latest adventure.  
  
"Did you see me almost charge down Prongs?" came Sirius' voice. Harry's stomach clenched with excitement as his godfather came into view.  
  
"Yeah, you almost killed him, Padfoot!" chuckled Peter delightedly. Harry stomach clenched again; but this time, it was from horrification. Little did Peter know, one day Sirius would be blamed for James' and Lily's deaths... or perhaps he did? Was he working for Voldemort already?  
  
The two stopped dead as they reached the door.  
  
"What the f-?" asked Sirius. "Oh right, you're James' cousin... so... what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, I figured that if Lily and James were going to scream at each other like usual, I'd probably get more sleep here..." Harry replied, grinning.  
  
The two boys grinned at him; obviously they were in the same mind.  
  
"I _know!"_ exclaimed Sirius, walking over to his four poster. "If only they stopped biting each other's heads off for _one_ second, they'd realize how perfect they are for each other!"  
  
"Why do they hate each so much anyway?" asked Harry, through a mouthful of Pumpkin Pasties. He had stocked up on food from Lily and James' cupboard after his mother assured him the supply was never-ending.  
  
"No idea," replied Padfoot, his head half-in his trunk as he searched for clean boxers. "We _think_ it might be because after that day by the lake in fifth year, when Lily went off at James about everything that annoyed her about him, James' put a barrel of horned toads under her bed... but we're not sure."  
  
Harry laughed and went on chatting about possible ways to get Lily and James' together. By this time, Sirius had come up with a series of escapades including kidnapping them, locking them in their common room, forcing them to duel or blackmailing them into going to the upcoming Start- of-Term-Ball together.  
  
"So how come you didn't steal one of their beds, Harry?" asked Peter quietly, examining him closely. All three of them were now settled comfortably in their beds, though none of them had their hangings closed, even if it was 3:30 in the morning.  
  
"Didn't want to crash their space," he replied, trying desperately to keep the anger that was raging through out of his voice.  
  
"Besides, this gives them something to talk about, and they couldn't do that with young Harry there!" Sirius laughed.  
  
"You Harry?" said Harry, smiling too. "I'm a year younger than you, dolt!"  
  
Just then, James' caused a small commotion by charging through the unlocked door and tripping over Remus' open trunk.  
  
"She is so annoying!" he yelled through gritted teeth from his sprawled position on the floor. He stood up, brushed one of Sirius' socks of his shoulder, and followed on with his tirade. "All she says is, '_oh, what are we going to do, you have to watch out for him, Harry this, Harry that, blah, blah, blah'_!" James' imitated Lily in a high pitched voice and a worried look on his clean-shaven face.  
  
He turned and noticed Harry sitting on his old bed. "Nothing against you of course, mate, it's just- your m-Lily, I mean, she just _doesn't shut up_! And I see you've stolen my old bed," he said with a wink. "Not to worry, I'll just knock up a camp bed..."  
  
James' pulled out a wand and conjured up a bed in the middle of the floor.  
  
"When did you learn that?" asked Harry, amazed. As far as he knew, basic conjuring started at the near the end of seventh year, and here was James', performing difficult spells before his first week of seventh year was over...  
  
"Taught myself," he replied proudly, or rather, arrogantly. "Transfiguration is my best subject anyway. It's all easy."  
  
Harry, despite his amazement, remembered Mr Ollivander once telling him his father's wand was excellent for transfiguration work. _Wasn't Lily's best for Charms?_ He pondered.  
  
"I can't understand why you and m- Lily don't get along anyway," proclaimed Harry, now onto a Chocolate Frog. He chucked one to James, Sirius and Peter, and realized quite suddenly that Remus wasn't back yet. "Where's Remus anyway? Still in the Shack?"  
  
"How do you know?" asked James, surprised, as Sirius and Peter gasped.  
  
"I- uh- I worked it out," he stammered, remembering too late that he wasn't supposed to know.  
  
"Oh," said James, "well, in that case, you haven't told anyone have you?"  
  
"N- no," murmured Harry, still shaken by the fact that he had almost given away his secret, so easily as well.  
  
"Good," James answered. "Don't tell Lily, either."  
  
"Why would I?" asked Harry, trying to sound genuine. "It's not as if I even know her that well." He winked secretively at James, who smiled back. The others went on to chat about their Map, and Harry asked why Remus showed up as a question mark.  
  
"It's only when he transforms," explained Sirius. "It's partly because he doesn't remember who he is, and also because we wanted to protect his identity is case... in case anyone accidentally saw it."  
  
"Good thinking!" said Harry, and then changed the topic to Lily.  
  
"Why don't you like her?" Harry asked him. "She's really nice!"  
  
"Yeah, Prongs!" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"No she's not! She's beautiful, and kind, and stubborn, and _way too perfect!"_ James blurted out. It sounded as though he had wanted to say this for a while.  
  
"Actually, it sounds like you like her," said Sirius, Peter and Harry at the same time.  
  
"I DO NOT LIKE LILY EVANS!" growled James.  
  
"But she's perfect for you!" Sirius was exasperated by now.  
  
"No; she's _too_ perfect for me." 


	7. Happy Sufferings

(A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed. I know I keep saying this but it's true: I really appreciate every single review! This is getting a bit slow at the moment but it's because I'm busy planting all the basic that build up the dramas, and introducing everyone, so please bear with me! Please enjoy my next chapter!)  
  
Chapter Seven: Happy Sufferings  
  
"Quit being so picky, Evans! Just choose one and let's get out of here!"  
  
James and Lily were at it again. Today, Sunday, was a Hogsmeade Day, and the 'family' had taken the opportunity to buy Harry some new clothes besides the ones he had stolen from James. Lily's deliberation over which kind of Jelly Slugs to buy was infuriating James, as he had promised his friends he would meet them at the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer at 3:00 pm, and he was already late.  
  
"Oh, just go, Potter!" Lily tossed her fiery mane of hair as she argued with him.  
  
By now, Harry was used to it. James and Lily had argued on the way into Hogsmeade, while they were looking for Lily's new spell book in Dervish and Banges, while Harry tried on a couple of new shirts at Lily's request, and when just now when they stopped by Honeydukes for some sweet treats.  
  
James sighed and walked out the door into blazing sunshine. The weather was gorgeously sunny and warm, and when Lily chose finally picked out her items, she and Harry decided to advantage of the sun and strolled down the main avenue of the small town.  
  
"Are you enjoying it here?" asked Lily, once she had calmed down a bit from the most recent saga with James.  
  
"Yeah; it's great spending time with you and James!" said Harry so genuinely that Lily looked on the verge of tears. Luckily, a voice echoed down the street and drifted towards them...  
  
"LILY!" it cried. Lily jumped and waved at the person who had called out to her, brushing away a tear impatiently as she began to hurry towards the figure in the distance. Harry followed, though rather hesitantly.  
  
"Where were you? I thought you were going to meet us ten minutes ago!" said the person, grinning; a girl, who looked to be about Lily's age, with flowing blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"Sorry, Kelly; Harry and I were talking and I guess we just lost track of the time," said Lily, apologising.  
  
"Harry who?" asked Kelly, frowning.  
  
Lily ushered Harry forward, proclaiming, "Harry. He's my son!"  
  
Kelly stared quizzically at both of them for a moment, before bursting into laughter. "Good one, Lils! I thought he was James' cousin! Are you trying to tell me you're James' aunt as well?"  
  
Harry caught Lily's eye, an anxious look on his face; Lily's friend kept laughing and Harry got the impression that she didn't take many things too seriously.  
  
"Kelly," started Lily. "I'm serious, Harry's my son. He's- he's from the future... Wow, that sounds weird!"  
  
"Come on, Lily! You can _not_ be serious!" Kelly's eyes sparkled as she stared at Harry, then flickered; as though a sharp jolt of realization had just shot through her body... those eyes... those emerald green eyes... and the hair!  
  
"It's true," she whispered. "It's _true!_ Harry could pass for James from ten feet! But he definitely has your eyes, Lils..."  
  
Lily smiled. "Harry, this is my best friend, Kelly Richards. She's in Gryffindor too."  
  
"Hi," said Harry, putting out his arm to shake hands with Kelly; but it seemed she was too gobsmacked to say- or do- anything at the precise moment.  
  
"Where's Tammie and Gemma?" asked Lily, tying her long hair up as it had started to stick to the back of her neck, due to the heat.  
  
Kelly could only point, and as she, Lily and Harry set off towards the café where Lily's remaining friends were gathered, she stared openly and pointedly at her best friend's 'new' son.  
  
"Do you know me in the future? Are Lily and I still friends? Am I married?"  
  
Her questions went on and on, but all Harry could do was laugh, and say, "You'll have to wait and find out!" Even so, his smile was fake; because he knew how much it would be upsetting his mother to hear her friend's anticipations when Lily knew the horrible fate that lay ahead of her. Sure enough, the next time Harry looked directly at Lily, the blankness had consumed the person hidden behind her eyes.  
  
Harry, Lily and Kelly turned at the corner of Hogsmeade Main Avenue and continued into a little side street called Spattergroit Road. Two teenage girls were happily sipping iced drinks at Madam Puddifoots; one with dark, almost black hair and startlingly blue eyes; the other, with blonde hair again, though unlike Kelly's, it had loose curls at the ends, and she also sported brown eyes, though again unlike Kelly, her eyes were hazel in colour.  
  
"Where did you two get to?" asked one of the girls, noticing their friends' sudden arrival.  
  
"And who's this?" asked the other one, frowning as she nodded towards Harry.  
  
"He's my son," cried Lily happily. "Harry, meet Tammie" -she pointed to the blonde girl- "and Gemma." She pointed out the beautiful dark haired girl.  
  
Tammie, and Gemma, were two busy laughing to see any of this- their reactions were much the same as Kelly's. Lily, however, knew exactly how to get them to realize the truth, thanks to her earlier experiences...  
  
"Stop laughing," commanded Lily. The girls tried to keep the smirks off their mouths as they turned to face her.  
  
Tammie cried, "Good one, Lils!" Just as Kelly had done before, both Tammie and Gemma collapsed into giggles again.  
  
"Guys, come on! I swear I'm telling the truth. Let me prove it you!" Lily wheeled Harry around to face the two girls, who almost hysterical.  
  
The girls looked up, and almost at once, the laughter died from their faces. Tammie gasped when she looked into Harry's eyes, exclaiming, "His eyes are the same as yours, Lily! But- you just _can't_ be serious!"  
  
"Tammie- just look at him! He's the spitting image of James!" cried out Gemma; it was obvious that she had realised the truth.  
  
"I can't believe it," muttered Tammie, Kelly and Gemma at the same time.  
  
"How did it happen?" asked Kelly, who, unlike the others, had had time to think about the situation facing her and to formulate a question.  
  
Lily nodded to Harry, and he set off explaining everything that had happened to him yesterday afternoon.  
  
When he had finished, Lily's friends were astounded. This was caused by a combination of a sixteen year old boy who wasn't even supposed to born yet, standing before them; and also because he was supposed to be a product of two people who were likely candidates for the two people who hated each other the most; in all of Hogwarts and perhaps Hogsmeade as well.  
  
"Harry, how on Earth do Lily and James get together? They hate each other more than they hate Slytherins!" cried Kelly frantically, wringing her hands in disbelief.  
  
"Can't tell, it'll ruin the surprise," Harry replied with a wink. He knew no more than they did; neither Sirius, Remus or anyone else he knew who had known his parents had told him anything about Lily and James' relationship.  
  
"Only time will tell," said Tammie dreamily, a smile playing across her delicate features. Lily, Gemma and Kelly looked at each other and giggled, but Harry was becoming a bit bored with all the girly talk. He decided to go in search of James', Sirius, Remus and Peter, and see what 'dastardly acts' they were up to now, as Lily put it.  
  
"I'm going to find James, Mum." Lily nodded and smiled at the mention of the word. It was remarkable how quickly it had grown on her; overnight... literally!  
  
As he wandered past Honeydukes and Zonko's, Harry wondered why he still did not call James 'Dad'. Even before he had met him, Harry had always referred to his father as Dad; but now... it just never seemed right... Perhaps he was scared of James' reaction... But how could Harry be scared of his own father?  
  
Harry pondered this thought as he strolled towards the Three Broomsticks in the light of the setting sun. _James is a lot less mature than Mum... that could be it! But that wouldn't explain why we haven't spent time alone together yet, like me and Mum have..._ He decided that, on second thoughts, he'd rather just head back to the castle on his own. 


	8. Like Father, Like Son

(A/N: Still only the basics, but I'm hoping to get a little James/Lily time soon... Enjoy! Thanks to all my reviewers!)  
  
Chapter Eight: Like Father, Like Son

By the time Harry got back to the castle, the sun had almost set, due to the fact that he had dawdled, wondering over and over why he hadn't yet spoken to James alone. He stared into the glowing, orange-lit sky and wondered whether he ought to try and instigate some conversation with his father or wait until they were comfortable in one another's presence.  
  
"Harry!" called a gruff voice. James was trotting towards him, his robes billowing out behind him.  
  
Harry waved and smiled, distracted from his thoughts by the presence of his father. James slowed to a walk a few paces from Harry and then sat down beside him. His breathing was normal; he was clearly very fit, as he had just jogged a hundred paces and wasn't even puffed.  
  
"I was wondering where you'd got to." James said, and ran a hand through his hair. "Evans asked where you were and I said I hadn't since Honeydukes, even though Evans said that you were coming to find me."  
  
Harry sighed. "I didn't know I'd caused a fuss. Sorry," he said simply.  
  
"Look, Harry, I may be a bit thick sometimes, but I think I can tell when my kid's upset or something!" said James, grinning.  
  
Harry could laughed out loud in relief. There he was, sitting with the father he had never known, with the chance to finally talk face-to-face with him... and James had acknowledge Harry as his _son_... Harry was beyond happy. For once in his life, he wasn't an orphan.  
  
"Trust me, Dad, I'm not," said Harry, smiling back. James' grin even wider; if that was possible, and he and Harry sat there for a couple of minutes, just grinning their heads off and staring into the misty sun, now setting above the lake.  
  
"So, when are you and Mum going to get your acts together and go on a date, rather than discuss Prefect duties?" asked Harry.  
  
"Look, Potter, don't start me on Evans." Growled James, his handsome face discontorting at the thought of the Head Girl.  
  
"Ok, whatever you say, Potter," said Harry. His cheeks were beginning to hurt from all the smiling, but he couldn't bring himself to wipe the smirk of his face.  
  
"Harry, don't get me wrong; I used to like Evans... but now, I don't know... she's such a _control_ freak," replied James, frowning as he searched for strong enough words.  
  
"Maybe you two just don't know each other well enough. If you could just spend one minute without fighting, you might see to Mum you haven't seen yet, Dad."  
  
"DAD?! MUM?! What the hell's going on here?" came a bewildered voice. Harry and James turned quickly, their lie now to be discovered.  
  
"I know that voice," said James suddenly. His right hand gripped his wand, knuckles white with fury... "that's Snivellus."  
  
He and Harry both stood up, wands outstretched; they turned, nodded to each other, and began to walk quietly to the direction where they had heard the voice.  
  
James walked, quietly, quietly; wand clutched in his hand, eyes opened wide as he searched the blackness for any sight of movement... when suddenly, a figure appeared from nowhere and rammed James out of the way.  
  
"DAD!" screamed Harry, all pretences forgotten in the rush and tangles; their were bodies everywhere, as a second unknown figure joined the first in tackling James to the ground...  
  
"Stupefy!" screamed Harry, but as he said the spell, one of the figures grabbed his foot and he tripped, causing the spell to go awry.  
  
Just then, the hand that had grabbed his foot, grabbed his shirt, and the owner's face looked up at him with a grin...  
  
"SIRIUS! Dad, it's ok, it's just some idiotic friends," laughed Harry, mainly from relief. Sirius ran over to James, and pulled down the hood of his robes, and at the same time, so did Remus. James and Harry stood up laughing, while Sirius and Remus stared at the two of them. 

"I thought you were Snape!" said James, pretending to be annoyed.

"Voice changing potion,' said Sirius, "Wasn't really that hard."

"Oh, ok," said Harry, rather lamely.   
  
"I've just noticed something," said Sirius suspiciously. "You two look exactly the same, apart from the fact that Harry has Lily's eyes."  
  
"Also, Harry called James 'dad'." Added Remus, eyeing James and Harry. "And he also called Evans, 'mum'..."  
  
"So I think the real question here is not how did James and Lily manage to have a sixteen year old son without anyone noticing; but, how did Lily and James stop hating each other long enough to have a romantic relationship?" commented Sirius.  
  
James and Harry; their faces a picture of shock, mouths hanging open; stared at their two friends in disbelief.  
  
"How did you know?" asked James, astonished. He knew his friends were cunning, but he didn't think they could beat _him_, James Potter, master of disguise and pranking, at his own game.  
  
"Oh, by the way, thanks for the loan of the Invisibility Cloak," said Sirius with a wink, as he tossed Harry the cloak.  
  
"So, Harry, what are you getting him for Father's day?" asked Remus, passing James the Map.  
  
James ignored the last comment. "Well... what do you guys think? I know it's kind of weird, but..."  
  
"Prongs; trust me, we think it's great, at least young Harry here isn't a greasy haired git, like some people we know. Besides, you and Lily are perfect for each other; it's about time you realised it! Or...when you do realise it... just let us know!" finished Sirius brightly, and Remus smiled happily.  
  
Harry laughed, and James smiled weakly out of relief.  
  
Then Remus asked where the Time Turner was.  
  
"Oh crap," muttered Harry, slapping his forehead. "I have absolutely no idea." He bit his lip, frustrated with his idiocy. _That Time Turner could have fallen into anyone's hands... how could have been so stupid?!  
_  
"But, Harry... where could it have gone? That was really irresponsible, you know," James reprimanded him sternly. All at once, Harry, Sirius and Remus burst in to hysterical laughter.  
  
"Since when have you ever been responsible, Prongs?" cried Remus, hiccoughing, as tears poured down his pale face.  
  
Sirius started to chant, "HYP-_O_-CRITE! HYP-_O_-CRITE!" and was soon joined by Harry and Remus.  
  
"By the way, Harry, don't worry; me and Sirius have got the Time Turner, it's up in our dormitory," said Remus, in between chants.  
  
"All right, settle down," said James, and then muttered, "prats. Anyway, where's Peter?"  
  
"He went to visit one of his Great Uncle's; he just turned 80, and apparently, that's what Muggles call old." Answered Sirius nonchalantly.  
  
The darkness had well and truly settled in around them by that time. Harry glanced up at the castle and noticed that the Great Hall's lights were on; a signal for students still outside that it was time for dinner.


	9. Friendship

**(A/N: Hey everyone! Just wanted to drop a line in to say that as I have to go back to school soon [pfft] I am not be writing and updating so quickly, but I won't give up! I'd just like to say thanks to the following people for all their ideas and comments: Ceclilia Orechio, babeephatangel, COURNTEY! Aka DreamingPhoenix and vickiicki! Love you all!)  
**  
Chapter Nine: Friendship  
  
After dinner, Harry followed James and Lily up to their rooms, to discuss exactly what Harry was going to do education-wise for the next four school weeks. Harry couldn't have cared less; for all he knew, what he learnt now wasn't going to count towards his school work when he got back to 1966, and therefore gave him no reason to learn anything whatsoever. Even so, Lily thought that Harry could just tag along with her and James to their NEWT level classes, as she thought it would be beneficial towards Harry's education for him to have an insight into what was coming next year.  
  
Harry reluctantly agreed, and allowed his mother to send her owl, Artemis, to Professor Dumbledore to inform him of their decisions. James told Harry later that he privately agreed with Lily, even though he didn't want to admit it in front of her.  
  
"Well, now that that's settled..." began Lily, shifting into a more comfortable position in her armchair, "how was everyone's day? Harry?"  
  
"It was great," said Harry. "Though the range of Honeydukes' chocolate now is nothing compared to what they have in 1966. I'm really missing it."  
  
James grinned as he watched the dancing flames of the fire. "Shame you couldn't have thought to bring us some when you came," he said. "Such an ungrateful visitor."  
  
Lily grinned in spite of herself. She wondered whether it was Harry that brought the hidden part of her nature; the out-going, optimistic part that she usually kept so quiet.  
  
Her attitude towards James had changed too... she was beginning to realise that James, while he did not show it often, had a caring side to him, though it only slipped out when his son was around. Lily caught herself, and shook herself mentally at the thoughts she was having... _Please! The day James Potter actually shows real affection to another person beside himself will be the day all hell breaks loose.  
_  
James looked sideways at Lily. He followed the glinting shimmers in her hair as the light from the fire was caught in it; studying her face, he noticed she seemed to be having a sort of intense internal struggle. _God, she looks so pretty tonight..._ he thought, then emotionally slapped himself. _What the hell are you thinking, Potter? This is Evans you're talking about! You hate her, she hates you. That's just how it is!  
_  
James sighed heavily, his thoughts consuming him. He knew that that was exactly how was supposed to be, but... the arrival of his son from almost twenty years in the future had caused him to... rethink things.  
  
Harry looked up, halfway through unwrapping a Chocolate Frog he had grabbed from the food cupboard, to see his mother and father both looking torn by their current thoughts. He smirked, casually got up and walked to the door, saying, "Mum, Dad; just going back to my dormitory... I'm getting kind of tired..."  
  
Neither of the two looked up. Lily waved half heartedly and James sort of nodded to himself, still watching the fire, and occasionally glancing at Lily.  
  
Lily had just decided something. _If Harry is ever going to have a proper family, it's going to be now... And if James and I just keep fighting all the time, we're not doing that any favours... Be strong, Evans. You can do this!  
_  
Lily stood up, flicking aside her long her as she straightened up. She walked as casually as she could to the cupboard, found a box Licorice Wands, grabbed out two cans of Muggle Coke (which, surprisingly, was only liked by one other person at Hogwarts other than Lily, and that was James), and tapped them with her wand to cool the drinks to the right temperature.  
  
She got back to her armchair beside the fire, plonking her 'supplies' down on the table as she went. "James," she said, "I've got to talk to you."  
  
"What is it, Evans?" asked James, rather rudely.  
  
"I'm not trying to bribe you," she stated, pointing to the food, "So there's no need for either of us to be rude."  
  
"Yes, there is! We don't like each other, remember?" said James, starting on his coke.  
  
Lily pulled a licorice wand from the box. "But, James, think about it... Harry's only gonna be here for four weeks, and it'll be the only time her ever has proper family... what if we ruined that by arguing the whole time?"  
  
"What are you saying, Evans?" asked James, eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
"Ithinkweshouldbefriends," she said in a rush.  
  
"What?" said James, smirking. Lily wanted to slap him, slap that grin that so many girls thought was irresistible, right off his gorgeous face.  
  
Lily took a deep breath. "I think we should be friends," she said, more slowly this time. "That way, Harry can have a good time here without having to worry about us getting on each other's nerves... and then, when he's gone, we'll just go back to hating each other."  
  
"Maybe you're right..." said James slowly. Lily grinned and grabbed the pillow next to her.  
  
"Did _James Potter_ just say that _Lily Evans_- was right? What a moment in history!" Lily whacked him over the head with her pillow.  
  
James grinned, grabbing a pillow too. "Well, if that's how it's going to be, fine!" His slammed his pillow down, but Lily jumped out of the way, so he only got her feet. She ran towards the other armchairs by the window, and he followed, grinning despite the frenzy. Lily jumped onto one of the chairs, resting her feet on the arms, and standing up. _Where'd he go?  
_  
"SURPRISE!" shouted James from behind her. She turned quickly and slipped; James tried to hit her with the pillow but her sudden movement caused him to miss... Lily screamed as she lost her footing and she fell forward... she was going to hit the floor face-first, or...  
  
Lily landed directly on top of James. Their eyes met; their faces were inches from each other. As James stared into Lily's eyes, he saw for the first time ever, her hidden personality come out. Her soul seemed to shine directly into his eyes... and Lily felt it too.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered, blushing. She clumsily picked herself off of James, and she noticed that he was rather red in the face, too.  
  
Lily sat up, and in her haste to extend an arm to help him up, her hand brushed his arm. Every single hair on James' body stood up.  
  
They stood up, brushing them selves off, both still blushing. Lily packed away the Licorice Wands and threw their empty cans into the bin. James took his place by the fire, thinking about what had just happened. Lily hurried off to bed, clearly embarrassed.  
  
_"Yes!"_ whispered three disembodied voices from the corner. James frowned as he heard the sound, looked around, and decided it was the hiss of the fire. Really he should have known better. The voices were coming from under his own Invisibility Cloak, after all.  
  
Soon after, James trooped off to bed, clearly exhausted. And his son, his son's future godfather, and his son's future teacher were too, as they excited the Head's common room. 


	10. The Patronus

**(A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for all your constructive critisms and reviews, I love them! Thanks especially for all the suggestions, I really take them into account! I absolutely love this chapter, because I love the idea of Harry having really strong powers... no idea why, though! Please R&R! Enjoy!)  
**  
**Chapter Ten: The Patronus**  
  
"Harry! Quick, give me the cloak! Filch is coming!" whispered Sirius, his tone harsh and anxious.  
  
"No, Sirius; there's no time! Just run!" replied Remus.  
  
"But, Moon-"began Sirius.  
  
"NO! Just _GO!"_ snarled Remus. The three of them set off at a sprint through the dark hallway, unable to see, just running by means of pure gut and instinct... Harry, like he had only yesterday, sprinted like the wind; past statues, doors, staircases... Harry was short of breath... puffing like the Hogwarts Express... he shrank into the shadows, breathing noisily, until he heard a sound, and his heart stopped...  
  
"Sirius?" he called, as quietly, but as clearly as he could. "Remus?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
And then he heard it, more clearly this time... the rattling sound he knew much too well...  
  
The coldness swept over him, engulfing; freezing up his thoughts... he was drowning in his own despair... and then... he saw it.  
  
A Dementor.  
  
He had known it was coming, but still, its presence was a shock. It towered over him, gliding closer and closer... it was right on top of him... Harry began to hear the familiar screams...  
  
_But that's not right... Mum's_ alive_..._ James and Lily's faces burst into his thoughts, and Harry steadied himself, yelling, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
_What? But I've always been able to do it... Oh..._ Harry realised, with his consciousness slipping away from him, that his wand was safely tucked away in his back pocket. The Dementor was about to administer the kiss on him... he could hear its rattling breath as though it was his own... when-  
  
A pain shot through him like he had never experienced... Harry looked down at his chest where the pain was mainly coming from, and saw with a start that it had ripped open.  
  
And a stag jumped out of his body into the darkness.  
  
Harry thought he was delusional. _This is not happening... it's impossible..._ He looked to where the shining silver stag was and saw it charge at the Dementor... and then, as quickly as it had come, the Dementor disappeared.  
  
His chest was stinging painfully, but it somehow had repaired itself, thought a distant shining light seemed to flow from him... _my soul..._ Harry had no idea how he knew, and when he had known... he just did.  
  
"That was amazing," said a weak voice. James walked out of the shadows; closely followed by Lily... they didn't _quite_ seem to notice they were holding hands.  
  
"You don't say," said Dumbledore, walking out from behind a statue of armour.  
  
Harry grinned, despite the pain; he couldn't what had just happened.  
  
"Harry... when did you learn to conjure a Patronus... like that?" asked Lily, her eyes wide and startled.  
  
"Uh... just then?" he said; his breathing still ragged and harsh.  
  
"Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry noticed the strain on his lined face; the eyes, so usually enchanting, were split with guilt.  
  
"You must know why that Dementor was here."  
  
"Yes... Voldemort." It was statement; so resolute and final, so irreversible. Lily let out a small squeak and Harry turned towards her; James squeezed her hand reassuringly. They both finally seemed to notice they were holding hands, and quickly pulled away, blushing furiously.  
  
"But... how does he know I'm here? How did _you_ know I was here?" Harry asked Dumbledore. "How did _you_ know I was here?" he said to James and Lily.  
  
"Lily and I were doing rounds. We sensed the Dementor and came running, but by that time, you'd already... done whatever you did..." said James.  
  
"I was simply checking if you could fight it off yourself, after I myself sensed it. I wasn't quite sure of your abilities, but I dare say you've proved yourself," answered Dumbledore, smiling; his eyes were twinkling once more.  
  
Harry smiled back, happy for a moment; but his smile faltered, as he knew what Dumbledore was going to ask next... He was not sure he would have an answer. In the end, though, it was James who spoke first.  
  
"Harry... why do you think Voldemort would send one of the foulest creatures that walk the Earth- after _you?"_  
  
"I _told_ you... the prophecy." Mumbled Harry, almost inaudibly, so that everyone in the vicinity had to strain their ears to hear him.  
  
"What prophecy is this, Harry?" asked Dumbledore quickly.  
  
"Uhhh... I... erm... can't exactly tell you..." said Harry.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you told me not to!" he cried out, exasperated. He was so used to having Dumbledore waiting, with all the answers. Dumbledore _always_ knew what was happening. Harry was unnerved to find himself with a knowledge that the Headmaster, at this present time, did not yet pocess.  
  
"Oh, I see," said Dumbledore, hardly concealing a grin. "Well, I expect I will find out at the right time."  
  
"Yes," said Harry awkwardly. He wanted to know, he was burning to ask...  
  
"How did I do it?" he burst out suddenly.  
  
Dumbledore paused. "I believe it was through a combination of your magic and the life force around at the present time."  
  
Harry frowned, not understanding. "What do you mean, Sir?"  
  
"Well, Harry, it seems that your magic, though incredibly strong already, is getting even stronger. You are also influenced by the life forces around. In other words, your magical relatives- Lily and James."  
  
Lily and James joined in with the frowning. "But why would we help, Professor?" Asked Lily.  
  
"It has been magically proven that when a witch or wizard is near to their own magical blood- and mostly when they are near their parents- the effects of their powers increase significantly. As you have never met your parents, aside from you were a baby, Harry, your powers have jumped because they have bottled up over your life."  
  
"So that would be... fifteen years of power? Wow!" exclaimed James, calculating.  
  
"But what about his powers?" asked Lily. The hidden personality shone through, brighter than Harry had ever seen it. Harry wondered whether it was because she and James were not fighting, for _once...  
_  
"Well, as I said before... he's getting stronger, Lily and James... all three of you should be prepared for things... unnatural... Harry's strength is overwhelming. The way he produced his Patronus tonight, was nothing short of amazing. But what's most amazing of all... Harry, you destroyed that Dementor."  
  
"I- I did?" he asked bewildered; he had not seen this... his mind was overwhelmed with pain, exhaustion and pure astonishment.  
  
"No other living person has ever achieved this feat. Not myself, nor Voldemort."  
  
"Are you sure?" whispered Harry. He could not take this. This was too much... it clouded over him... he felt near collapse.  
  
"Positive," murmured Dumbledore. "The Ministry keeps a close tab on all of its Dementors... They still believe they are inside their control. Not a single Dementor has ever just disappeared... like you so spectacularly demonstrated."  
  
Dumbledore's face, half bathed in the darkness, looked more enchanted than Harry had ever seen it... but not in a happy way... it was giving the heat of pure, cold, burning, magic.  
  
"Lily, James, you should take Harry up to bed. I do not want him to sleep in the Gryffindor dormitory tonight. Let him rest in... well, I'm sure you've figured it out by now, James."  
  
James grinned and nodded. He turned to Lily, nodded, and she walked forward, grasping Harry's hand. Harry allowed himself to be half-lead, half- dragged to the Head's dorm, not noticing where he was going...  
  
And all the time, his wand was safely tucked away in his back pocket. 


	11. James and Lily II

**(A/N: Uh... in this chapter we discover goosebumps... lol but I was just wondering if any knew what I was talking about... that's we call them in Australia, but I think some people call the goosepimples...? Well, anyway, it's those dots on your arms that come when you're absolutely freezing... lol! Enjoy!  
  
By the way, can you believe that in the last ten chapters it's only been two fictional days? I better hurry this along... or not? Tell me what you think!)  
  
Chapter Eleven: James and Lily II**

****  
_Lily shivered. Why was it suddenly so cold? It was incredibly strange, seeing as only this afternoon the sunlight had been pouring out of the sky. Lily had half a mind to ask James if he could feel the temperature difference too, due to the fact that they were now 'friends', when... she heard it.  
  
A long, rattling intake of breath.  
  
James came bursting out of his door, with goosebumps visibly covering his body. His voice was harsh and shaky, but the hand grasping his wand wasn't. "Where is it, Lily?"  
  
"I don't know," she replied; her breathing had quickened also.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" he cried, running for the door- in his haste, he forgot that it was magically sealed shut and smacked head first into it.  
  
"Damn it," he muttered, grabbing the hand Lily had extended and standing up.  
  
"Alohomora," said Lily, and in less than two seconds, they were out the door.  
  
James was running down the hallways, searching for the source of the temperature drop... Lily was at his heels, as they whipped down a corridor and fell into a dark alley, and... they saw it.  
  
A Dementor.  
  
Lily breathed in, sharp and hard, and heard James do the same thing beside her... her worst thoughts, fears, and memories were drowning her... James took a step forward, drawing his wand arm up, when-  
  
"James! It's_ Harry!"_ gasped Lily, startled to see him there with no visible means of protection... he didn't have his wand in his hand...  
  
James looked past the tall cloaked creature, to see his own son standing there, his wand tucked safely into his back pocket. The usual images of seeing his parents dead, their bodies lying askew on the floor with blood trickling from their mouths; were now being replaced by a picture of Harry, his soul being removed from his body... and it was stronger image, too; much stronger...  
  
_"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ yelled Harry, his voice echoing around the chamber. Lily gasped and grabbed James' hand, though she didn't seemed to notice, as she watching the Dementor swoop closer to her son..._ Harry... move! Just run!  
  
_Of course, nothing happened. How could it, when Harry was trying to perform some of the difficult magic known to wizard kind, without even a wand on him? But then-  
  
A blinding light filled the alley, and Harry's chest_ ripped _open... Lily's fingernails dug into James' palm as they watched the startling sight unfold before their very eyes; watched a stag that seemed to made out of moonlight, jump out of their son's chest... it charged towards the Dementor, butted it with it's own, and the Dementor vanished.  
  
"That was amazing," said James weakly. He and Lily walked forward out of the shadows, their hands still clasped in the other's..._  
  
Lily woke up with a start, her hair ruffled; her breathing was now back to the pace it had maintained last night. The memories of last night were still fresh in her, and it seemed she could not escape them... She raised a hand to run it through her hair, and then yanked it back, furious at herself. _Lily Evans, how could you?! That is so James Potter!  
_  
_James... James... Oh no! I held his_ hand?!_ How could I be so stupid? He's going to hold it over me for ever! He'll tell everyone!_ Lily frowned at her thoughts. Since when had she ever cared what other people thought?  
  
She stumbled slowly out of bed and towards the door that led to her bathroom. The white tiles, with their sunny yellow border, jumped up to meet her- she turned on the taps of the bath, and her gaze was averted to her bathroom's tiling... she was forcibly reminded of last night; seeing her own son perform the most advanced magic that she had ever seen anyone produce... and without a wand! It was simply astounding. Not even Dumbledore could do that; he had said so himself.  
  
She stepped slowly into the now full bath, allowing the warm water to seep around her slowly. Her long hair was tied up in a messy, loose bun; wispy tendrils of her flaming hair fell loose and gathered around her face, framing it. The water calmed her, and she closed her eyes; as she stared out the window that looked onto the front grounds, she felt totally safe.  
  
"LILY!" shouted a voice from the common room. It had to be James... _did he just call me Lily? That's_ way _too normal for him.  
_  
"Lil- I mean, Evans..." she could hear his footsteps walking towards her bedroom, and she quickly cast two charms: one, to make her bed appear as though someone was lying in it; the second, to make her voice sound as if it was coming from her bedroom.  
  
"What do you want, Potter?" she asked, her voice rasping. The charm she had performed on her voice was more complex than the first; she had rushed it and therefore, her voice sounded croaky.  
  
"I was just wondering if- hey, are you coming down with something? Your voice sounds all croaky," said James quickly.  
  
Lily thought he was the one who was sick. _Since when does _James _care about others?  
_  
"Because if you are, I don't want to catch it; I've got Quidditch!" he finished.  
  
_That's more like it._

"What do you want, Potter?" she asked again. The spell was wearing through; Lily wished once more she had taken her time with it. _He hasn't said a word about last night... what's going on?  
_  
"I was wondering if you might want to come to Hogsmeade for breakfast with me today for breakfast- with Harry, of course." Supplied James, still standing outside herbedroom door.  
  
"Uh... okay... just let me have a shower and get changed," answered Lily hurriedly, before her weak spell could wear off completely.  
  
"Ok. If you need me, I'll be doing the same thing..." said James, his voice growing softer; Lily heard his door close and hopped out of the now freezing bath, wrapping herself in a yellow towel. Her skin had wrinkled beyond belief, so Lily slathered a good amount of moisturizing cream on over the top and wandered back to her room.  
  
She yanked her cupboard doors open, and skimmed over her clothes. Normally, fashion didn't really appeal to Lily, but today, for a reason she couldn't quite fathom, she wanted to look... different. Nice.  
  
_I really need some new clothes!_ Thought Lily, throwing aside top after top. She had settled on jeans and some cute red flats, but all her tops were either disgustingly coloured or badly fitting. In fact, all of her tops, were now either too short or too tight. She picked out a plain red tank and a white jacket.  
  
She pulled her hair down from its knot. "Derechio," she muttered, and her hair was instantly straight. She wandered out into the living room, and was startled to find Harry, who was lounging back into one of the largest couches, reading a book; the blankets surrounding him disheveled. She remembered with a start that he had stayed here last night, after the Dementor attack.  
  
"How are you today?" she asked promptly, without so much as a word of a greeting.  
  
"F-fine, a-ac-actually," said Harry, yawning. "I better go get ready. Do you mind if I use your shower?"  
  
"Go for it," said Lily. "There's fresh towels in the basket by the sink."  
  
"Thanks," he said gratefully. "By the way- nice one you pulled on Dad..." he finished, winking.  
  
Lily flushed, embarrassed yet happy at the same time, while Harry pulled the bathroom door open and walked out of sight.  
  
She picked up the book Harry had been reading- _Quidditch in the Twentieth Century: Advances and Misendeamours_- and flicked through it while she waited. Eventually, James and Harry had washed and dressed, so the three of them set off for Hogsmeade, using the One-Eyed Witch secret passage way that the Marauders apparently discovered 'by chance' in their second year.  
  
Once they climbed through the statue, it sealed magically shut behind them. Devoid of a source of light, Lily gasped softly; she did not like the dark. Not since...  
  
"Mum?" asked Harry, groping for her hand blindly. "Is anything wrong?"  
  
"N-no," she stammered. She could her feel her face going red, and almost thanked God that it _was_ dark- _If James knew I was afraid of the dark.._.  
  
She forced herself to calm down, and reached for her wand. "Lumos," she said, and heard Harry and James do the same thing seconds later, just ahead of her.  
  
"Where does this passage way lead to, exactly?" she asked loudly, trying to take the attention away from herself.  
  
"Honeydukes' cellar," said Harry and James promptly.  
  
Through the light of their wands, Lily could just make out James' features; he looked surprised.  
  
"How do you know?" said James.  
  
"I- uh... I found it just like you did, with my friend... in- uh- third year," muttered Harry; he reasoned that this was partly true, which therefore took some of the guilty look from behind his eyes.  
  
James was still eyeing him suspiciously. "Ok, then," he said and they continued their walk through the passage way.  
  
After a hundred more yards, the trio reached the end of the passage way. James stopped abruptly and Lily, who was between him and Harry, knocked into him and fell to the floor; in her tumble, she grabbed his hand.  
  
_Ugh! Not _again!_ Evans, he'll think you_ want _to hold his hand if this keeps up!  
_  
James hauled her up clumsily, turning his face; but not before Lily had seen a pink tinge appearing in his cheeks.  
  
"Thanks," she muttered fervently, wiping her dirty hands and wand on her jeans; thanks to a charm she had applied earlier this morning, they wasn't a speck of dirt on any of her clothes.  
  
"Lights out," said Harry cheerily, steeping up to the trapdoor just  
above their heads. All three of them extinguished the glow from their wand tips and Lily felt a prickle of fear; she swallowed it, and Harry pushed open the entry to the cellar.  
  
Once they were out of Honeydukes, and strolling among the sunny streets, Harry walked them over to a small restaurant that neither Lily nor James knew existed: _Amore.  
_  
"How did you find this place?" asked Lily in amazement; it was tucked into the very corner of a side street that lead of the main avenue, and Lily and James hadn't even seen it until they had walked right up to the front window.  
  
"A girl at school, Ginny Weasley, told me about it; me and Ron walked past it one day and thought we'd try it. It's really cosy and the food is awesome," answered Harry, leading them inside.  
  
"Ginny Weasley, huh? Is she... _more_ than a friend?" taunted James, smirking.  
  
"No way!" cried Harry, blushing. "Shut up, Dad!"  
  
"Hey, I'm your father; I'm allowed to mess with you!" answered James, grinning as he punched Harry playfully in the arm. "Isn't that right, Lil- Evans?"  
  
"As much as I hate to agree with James, Harry, I'd have to say yes," said Lily. "And  
James, don't hurt him, what has he done to you?"  
  
_They truly are an old married couple_, thought Harry with a smile, sitting down in his seat.  
  
They had chosen the window-side table; the room was rather empty but incredibly gorgeous all the same. The room looked like a collage that a five-year old with impeccable taste had made; artwork was splashed across the walls, couple of hammocks hung in one corner, and the kitchen itself was in full view of all patrons; the stainless steel bench tops were clean and ingredients for the morning's breakfast dishes were in bowls along them.  
  
"This is amazing!" cried James, and Lily couldn't help but (silently) agree.  
  
"What do you want to eat?" asked Harry, looking over one of the menus in front of him. "Their fruit salad is really nice, I had it with Ron last time we came for breakfast; they use magical fruits like Sufrongo, to add to the taste..."  
  
"Sure, I'll have that," answered Lily, enthralled in the artwork surrounding her.  
  
"Me too," said James, casting his menu aside. Harry ordered their breakfast at the kitchen, and returned to his seat.  
  
The three of them continued to look around, when-  
  
"Oh my god," whispered Lily, so quietly that Harry and James almost didn't hear her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's- that's mine!" she said, pointing at a work that hung casually on a bare brick wall.  
  
"What do you mean? They _stole_ it?! I'm going to-"said James; halfway out of his chair already.  
  
"No, you dolt; I did it!" said Lily; her expression one of enormous surprise.  
  
"You're an _artist?"  
_  
"Mum... how many others have you sold?"  
  
"That's the only one I ever tried to sell," answered Lily; she was fully aware of Jamesstaring intently at her.  
  
"Wow... Mum, that's still up there, back in 1996!"  
  
"Wow," she repeated, her voice barely audible.

_Go, Evans! _

**(A/N: My longest chapter ever... that's kinda sad... what do you think? Tell me... all you have to do is review! =D)**


	12. Marked Men

**(A/N: hi! I can't believe how long I've taken to write this chapter and I hope its worth it! THANKS A MILLION!!!!!!!!!!! To all my faithful reviewers- I LOVE YOU ALL! Please make me _really _happy and click on the little purple box labeled review! Hehe luv Julie)**

**Chapter Twelve: Marked Men**

Lily, Harry and James' breakfast passed without a hiccough; Harry was startled to see that neither of his parents seemed likely to rip off the other's head any time soon. In fact, both Lily and James seemed to be almost... _enjoying_ themselves...

_Is that even possible?_

Harry gasped as a pain shot through his scar; he clapped a hand to his forehand, breathing hard. He was sitting in the chair facing the window, and he leant forward, gazing intently out into the now busy streets. His jaw dropped, as well as his fork; as it landed with a _clang!_ on the floor, Lily and James looked up.

"What's wrong?" they asked as one.

"Voldemort." Even Harry was surprised at how calm he sounded. He could see Voldemort in the street, surrounded by his Death Eaters, already cursing people out of his way; and yet, the fear in his voice remained as subtle as possible.

"Oh my God," said Lily, her heart pounding. She looked into the street to see dark robes blocking out the sunshine; memories of her dark past clouded her brain... her childhood house lay in front of her eyes, the Dark Mark glittering above it... she began to shake all over...

"We've got to get out there," said Harry, _"Now."_

"_You're_ not going anywhere!" growled James.

"Dad, I've faced him before, I know what he's like! Let me help!" said Harry, clenching the hand that was already on his wand.

"As much as we're not supposed to be in Hogsmeade," said James, indicating himself and Lily, "You're not even supposed to be _born_ yet!"

"But, Dad, didn't you even _listen_ to what Dumbledore said? He already _knows_ I'm here!"

"Harry, no." Lily spoke up, and Harry and James looked at her in surprise. "It's too dangerous."

"But, I-"

"NO, Harry! Let's go, Lily!" James yelled, running outside to where the turmoil had already begun...

They reached a pile of boxes filled with Zonko's products and James ducked behind them, pulling Lily down with him.

"Lily... _Lily_... listen to me, would you?"

Lily had been listening to the screams echoing from around the scare, and the voices of Death Eaters growing closer... her parent's mutilated bodies were clouded her eyes... James called her name, and she snapped back to the present.

James stared at her. He had never seen her so afraid. There was a dullness clouding her eyes, and she trembling like mad. He hesitated before reaching for her hand; he grabbed, and gave her a reassuring squeeze. _God, James; she's going to think you're Voldemort, in disguise!_

Lily looked at him in surprise, her eyes widening; she stiffened next to him, then tried to relax.

"We're going to be okay," he told her, his hazel eyes looking straight into hers, so magnificently emerald. "But..." he hesitated before ploughing on... "If one of us gets... injured, we'll grab Harry and get out of here. Agreed?"

"A-agreed," gasped Lily.

"Good. Now let's-"

"POTTER! EVANS!" roared a voice; the coldest voice either of them had ever heard. It suited him. Voldemort, that was. Lily gasped again; how could he have known...?

"Are you going to come out, and stop this unnecessary game of hide and seek? I promise I wont hurt you." He said, stifling a laugh.

Lily couldn't take it any longer; she stood up and screamed at the most evil man she had ever known. "JUST LIKE YOU DIDN'T HURT MY PARENTS?!"

"_Lily!" _whispered James, trying to pull her down again.

Voldemort threw back his hooded head and laughed again. _"Crucio!" _he cried, his voice dripping with malice.

But Lily was ready. "Protego!" she called, and deflected the spell. It bounced off the shield radiating from her wand tip and blasted the boxes hiding her and James, which turned out to be full of-

"_Great,"_ said James, jumping away from the explosion. "Fireworks."

Lily was still standing, her mind numb with pain, her eyes following the patterns of the fireworks and they chased Death Eaters and civilians alike as they ran down the street.

"Lily!" hissed James, grabbing her hand once more and pulling himself off the floor. "Grab Harry and let's _go!"_

"R-right," she gasped, and sprinted back into the coffee shop, where Harry was hovering by the door, looking on the verge of running out the door from his exasperation at being left behind.

"Mum!" he cried, as soon as Lily came into view. "Are you ok?"

"There's no time for that; come on, James is waiting, I-"

"Mum?" called a voice softly.

Voldemort was standing outside the entrance to the small restaurant. "Well, well, well... Don't we look like a clone of Dad? Or is it Mum? I never could tell my followers apart."

"She is _not_ your follower," spat Harry.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you. Harry, is it?" Voldemort said, laughing softly. "Here's a welcome gift. _Cru-"_

"Reflecto!" cried James, running through the room from the kitchen. Voldemort gasped in pain as his own spell burned his skin.

"Let's go!" yelled Lily, grabbing both boys' elbows and breaking into a sprint. They ran all the way down the main strip, running, running, until they realised they had already passed Honeydukes.

"Don't worry, I know another way," said James, glancing uneasily at his shoulder, where a wisp of smoke was beginning to emerge from Hogsmeade.

They were right at the edge of town now. Tree roots stuck from the ground, causing one of them to stumble every so often. After a while they came to a descent, and at the summit, James said, "we're here."

The Shrieking Shack loomed before them, as old and dilapidated as ever. Lily groaned. _Voldemort _and_ the most haunted building in Britain in one day? Good plan, James!_

"Isn't there some other way? It's so creepy in there!" cried Lily. James shrugged and he caught Harry's eye; the pair glanced at each other and Lily caught the shiftiness in their eyes.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "I know there's something up with you two. And if you don't tell me this instant, I'll march right back into Hogsmeade and turn myself over to Voldemort."

"Mum, that's not even funny!" cried Harry, then caught himself. "Dad... You have to tell her. She'll never go in there otherwise."

"Fine, fine; but she'll never speak to me again," said James. "Do you want that on your conscience?"

"I'm right _here_, you know," growled Lily, but they both dismissed it.

"Look, Lily, there's no easy way to tell you this- but first, you have to swear- _swear_ you won't tell him that we told you..." began James.

"Tell who? What am I telling? James, just get on with it!"

"Ok, then. Maybeif you've _let_ me-"

"Just tell me, James!"

"Hang _on_, Evans!"

"Pot-"

"Oh, justshut _up!" _said Harry.

"Sorry," they mumbled at the same time.

"James, get on with it."

"Lil- Evans... Remus... well... he's a werewolf."

"He's a _what?"_ cried Lily, shocked.

James looked at Harry; there was only an inch difference in their heights. "I _told_ you she wouldn't like it," he mumbled unhappily.

"Is that-"Lily swallowed, and took a breath, "is that where he goes... when he transforms? He's the ghosts?" She asked, pointing at the Shack.

"Yeah."

"I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner," she said, almost as if she were talking to herself. "So his mother isn't really sick?"

"Well... no." said James. _Just like her to worry about everyone else,_ he thought miserably. _What a day in the life of James Potter. One simple breakfasts turn into World War III! _

"Anyway, it should make it easier to walk into there, huh?" said Harry with a light smile.

"Yeah. Come on, let's go." Said Lily, and with a final glance back at the ruined village, they began their trip into the Shack.

The trip back was uneventful, until Harry realised that Lily and James had missed half a day of school already.

Lily couldn't believe she hadn't remembered. "Oh my gosh! I had a meeting with Professor Flitwick about my essay too..." she said, as they trudged past a dormant Whomping Willow, and then past the lake. "We're going to be in so much trouble!"

"Oh, Lily, give it rest, we only went out for breakfast," snapped James.

"James, we are here to set an-"

"Example, I _know,_ Evans!"

"Just shut up, Potter!"

"Good afternoon." Said a quiet voice behind them. Dumbledore, dressed in robes of splendid jade, smiled benignly down at them.

"Professor," the three of them said at once, in surprise.

"We were just-"began Lily, then remembered that she surrounded by students in black robes, whereas she, James and Harry where dressed in Muggle fashion. She tugged self-consciously at her too-small tank top, while James stared, finally noticing her clothes.

_She looks kinda... hot!_

Dumbledore's smile just grew further. "I understand, Miss Evans. Will the three of you please accompany me to my office?"

"Of course," said Harry, replying.

They reached the office and took their seats respectively; the bickering Lily and James were separated by their son. Dumbledore sighed slightly and looked older than ever.

"I have heard about your run in with Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "First of all, I would like to say that your time in Hogsmeade has been overlooked by your excellent presence of mind back in the village."

Lily, James and Harry looked at each other; their minds were bubbling with questions and yet none of them could voice them.

"Voldemort has managed to escape, but thanks to your courage and quick-thinking, only two lives were lost." Dumbledore got up and walked towards Fawkes; the phoenix let out a quivering note of its as the Headmaster stroked it.

Lily burst into tears.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry, alarmed. Even James looked slightly alarmed, despite their recent arguments.

"I-I... its just... being back there- it made me think... of... my parents. He- he killed them too. And... I- just kept seeing... their bodies... I found them right after... he- he did it. It was only last year! And... he just killed them! Just like that! How- how _could_ he?!"

"Lily, it's Voldemort; he doesn't have a heart, soul or conscience; he never feels guilt." Said James softly; though he was feeling rather embarrassed, as he had never heard Lily talk about her deceased parents before.

"You've the perfect measure of the man, Mr Potter- er... James," said Dumbledore, faltering at the confusion in his words. "Miss Evans, you must understand that this man lives on pure spite. He has never experienced love and I doubt he ever will."

Just then, an owl swooped in through the open window so abruptly that Lily stopped sobbing into her hands, causing tears to roll soundlessly down her cheeks.

A voice like none of them had ever heard entered the room; soft and powerful at the same time, and said, "The Potters are marked for destruction."

**(A/N: Thanks for reading! This chapter will be continued later but I figured you might want some juicy stuff now... ; ). Did you know that the term Death Eaters actually comes from the spell used to cast the Dark Mark in the sky ['Morsmorde'], which means 'to take a bite out of death'? There's some useless yet interesting trivia for you! Now _please_ REVIEW!!!)**


	13. Guidance

**(A/N: Hi! Thanks for ALL MY REVIEWS BECAUSE I LOVE THEM!!!! I swear, you guys all rock. Enjoy the next chapter, it's just for you! LoL I'm so lame...)**

**Chapter Thirteen: Guidance**

Lily gasped; shivers ran down her spine as the voice spoke to the room at large.

"The Potters are marked for destruction."

The letter burst into flames, and the owl, its feathers ruffling at the heat blazing from it, took off out the window.

Harry looked at Dumbledore in amazement. "What did _that_ mean? Who was it from?"

Lily and James stared, google-eyed, at their Headmaster, who seemed to be almost at a loss for words.

Dumbledore paused before answering. "It was from Voldemort."

James stood up, and walked towards the ashes on the floor, examining them. The glittering Dark Mark hovered about the bits of twisted and scorched paper, and only one word that could be made out was _destruction_, written in a sick, twisted curl of a scrawl. "You're right," said James simply, pointing out the Dark Mark, as it was very faint.

Lily gasped again, her hand curled tightly in Harry's.

"It didn't sound like him, though," said Harry.

"He may have used a voice changing potion," said Lily.

"Why, though?" interjected James. "What was the need for him to disguise his voice? He left his Mark, didn't he?"

"It was only indirectly sent by Voldemort. The voice was most likely one of his Death Eaters."

"Oh." Said James simply, and went back to pacing around the room.

"Now... I take it you all have questions?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes!" cried Harry. "What _does it mean?"_

Dumbledore sighed massively. "I wish it was not me who had to tell you this," he began. "By 'the Potters', he means every member of your family, James."

James' jaw dropped. _"What?" _he cried.

"Y-yes. Every member." Dumbledore faltered before plowing on. "And it seems that he has already started. I was coming to find this morning at breakfast, James, when I discovered you weren't there. Your parents... your parents have been legally reported dead."

James burst into tears.

James Potter, the strong, dependable James Potter, was rocking on his feet and sobbing right before their very eyes.

"No!" he cried; his knees weakened and he fell forwards onto them, crying. "NO!"

"I'm afraid so, James," said Dumbledore in a soft voice, before turning away.

Lily darted forward to haul James up off the ground and back into a chair, where she pushed the messy black hair out of his eyes, her own tears forgotten; Harry, however, looked quietly toward their Headmaster, and was shocked to see tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

James spoke; tears drenching the front of his uniform; his heart burning in anger, frustration and enormous sadness. "How- how did it happen?" he choked.

"Voldemort arrived at your mansion in Godric's Hollow at 3 a.m. this morning, with around fifteen Death Eaters. Your parents were asleep at the time. There was no way they could have survived."

James' sobs had stopped but the tears continued to roll. Lily hastily grabbed a tissue out of a box on Dumbledore's desk and handed them wordlessly to James.

"I suggest you make your ways back to the Head's room, as you have been excused from your classes for the rest of the day. But first, I have to tell you something. All of you."

James' mopped his face with the tissues and turned back to Dumbledore; as did Lily and Harry. The old man's features seemed to be engraved into the saddest style possible, a tear trickled out of the corner of his eye and into his beard, yet his voice was a calm and as solemn as ever.

"I'm sure that by now, Lily and James, you have realised, that you both have to adhere to wizarding guidelines. This also means, that you are both now in my custody."

"What do you mean?" asked Lily; she was puzzled to see that James did not look in the least bit surprised.

"I am your godfather, Lily, and yours, James... but you probably already knew that," said Dumbledore, forcing a smile.

"Are you _serious?" _whispered Lily. She had spent the most part of her last summer with her godmother, with Petunia; her godfather had never been mentioned in all her life. Her godmother, a nasty piece of work named Lucy Richards, who was also her aunt. Her Aunt Lucy, while very fond of Petunia, had hated Lily, and had forced her to clean all summer. _Just like Cinderella, _Lily had thought at the time. _How clichéd._

"Of course, Miss Evans. This means that, while you have the choice between my self and your Aunt, Lily, and James has the choice between myself and Valerie Fletcher, _his_ aunt; I want it to be known to both of you will have a home here at Hogwarts and at my own personal home for as long as you want. You have my word."

Lily, though exhausted from tears, spells, and emotions; walked forward from her half-sitting, half-standing position to hug Dumbledore. He seemed surprised at first, but he quickly returned the gesture, the smile returning to his face.

"You have so much in common with your parents, Lily," said Dumbledore. "We had been in contact for many years, even before your arrival at Hogwarts. They would have been immensely proud of you today. They valued courage above everything else; they would have belonged in Gryffindor too."

Harry's glasses had fogged up from all the gasping he had been doing. As he wiped them, his father walked forward, hand outstretched, tears deserted.

"Thank you," said James quietly, as he and Dumbledore shook hands.

"Your parents were my best friends, James. I doubt you think that my feelings, compared to your own, are anywhere near significant, but your parents were some of the kindest human beings I have ever had the fortune to meet. I hope that you take some comfort in my words, and in knowing that you are every bit as strong as they were. You too have shown bravery far beyond your years today, and for that, I thank _you."_

James nodded once, to show that he understood, but he wasn't ready to speak again.

"Before you leave, I have something to tell all of you. I want it understood that, while you are living at Hogwarts, you are in my care. Voldemort, as he stated before, wants your entire family dead, James. As he now has some of the knowledge of the future that you yourselves possess, he believes Lily to be a part of the Potter family and is longing for your destruction. For these reasons, James, Lily, _and_ you Harry; I cannot permit either of you to leave the castle grounds again, unless you are accompanied by a teacher. This includes Hogsmeade visits. I am sorry, but this is a necessary precaution."

"_What?"_ said Lily and James together, astounded at their new laws.

"Once again, I am terribly sorry, but it is necessary. Are we understood?" he asked, not unkindly.

"Yes," mumbled Lily, James and Harry.

"Good. Now, I would like all three of you to be present at a meeting here tomorrow night. I trust that you will all be there?"

"Yes, Professor," said Harry answering for the three of them.

Neither James nor Lily had room for any more questions or words. James, his eyes puffy and bloodshot, walked towards the stairs, slowly, his feet shuffling under his tired and wasted body. Lily followed, with one last grateful smile at her Headmaster, and Harry waved half-heartedly, as he followed his parents out the door.

Dumbledore sat quietly in his elaborate chair, his eyes cast on to the grounds rolling in front of his window, silent tears pouring down his aged face.

Lily, James and Harry wandered slowly into the Head's common room, and were shocked to find themselves mobbed by their friends, with the absence of Peter; he seemed to still be visiting his mother.

"How did you get in?' asked James sullenly, as Remus and Sirius ran up to him, anxious looks clouding their faces. He had wanted to be alone, to contemplate his thoughts... but also talk to Lily... _I guess it's because she's been though the same thing,_ he thought miserably. He certainly didn't want to have to tell his friends about his parents, especially not Sirius; his parents, David and Elizabeth, meant as much to Sirius as they did to James.

"Lily? Thank God! We heard about the Voldemort thing, and- oh! I thought you were-"Kelly was crying.

"Dead?" she asked sullenly. "Nope. Not our day today."

Her friends eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, Lily, don't _say_ that," said Gemma, wringing her hands.

"Prongs," said Sirius abruptly to his best friend, and then, without a moment's hesitation, embraced him in a brotherly hug. Remus did the same.

The girls were momentarily distracted from their tear-fest by the boys' uncharacteristic show of emotions.

"So they _do_ have feelings!" said Tammie, laughing softly as she wiped the tears from her stained cheeks.

"What's wrong with James?" asked Kelly suddenly, noticing his depressed expression. Lily was certainly shaken up over her ordeal with Voldemort, but not _that _shaken up.

"Dumebledore just told us... it's awful. His-"began Lily.

"My parents were killed," said James in a monotonous voice that carried across the room.

Lily's friends gasped as a heart-wrenching scene unfolded before their eyes. Sirius had tears running down his face, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs; Remus was much the same, but he was also trying to comfort his two best friends, as James was also sobbing.

James hated this. He hated the fact that it had to be he who told everyone about his parents' sudden deaths. He hated the fact that he had to break his best friend's heart like this.

James' parents, David and Elizabeth, had been as much parents to James as they were to Sirius. Since Sirius' abrupt arrival into the Potter's living room fire in the early weeks of the holidays, David and Elizabeth had provided food, lodgings, and above all, love and support for the teenager. James and Sirius spent their two months free of school work playing Quidditch in the Potter's considerable backyard.

But, almost a month after Sirius' arrival, his father, Matthias Black, came to visit too. His intentions of bringing his son home; though everyone knew that the Blacks did not want him there; did not go down well with the Potters, who told Mr Black that his presence was not welcome in Godric's Hollow ever again, but not to worry, as they would see Sirius safely on the train. The longstanding feud between the Blacks and the Potters was broken that night, but not repaired. Sirius was forever grateful to the Potters, as he was sure that had he returned to Grimmauld Place, he would have been placed under the Imperius curse and sold to Voldemort. They had saved him from the life he had been born into but certainly did not want.

Lily walked slowly over to the sobbing boys, and guided them all over to the couch. She then grabbed a box of Cauldron Cakes from the cupboard, and plonked them down on to the table.

"Thanks," came the deadened reply from the three boys. Each looked exhausted, and Sirius still had tears trailing from the corners of his eyes. He brushed them away impatiently and stood up, knowing that if he were James, with parents that cared for him liked the Potter's did, he would want to be alone. He and Remus exited the room, with Harry and Lily's friends joining them.

"James..." tried Lily tentatively. No answer. "James, are you ok?"

"No," he sighed. "Of course I'm not."

She had expected as much. "James, I went through the same thing, remember?" And all I can say is... it gets better. I know it hurts right now, but you've got to give it time, ok?"

James just sighed again and nodded his head once. "I think I'll go to bed."

**(Sorry about the lame ending! And the lame Mr Black name! This chapter was a whole bunch of info and feelings really... so yeah. I have a question for y'all: Which ship do you prefer? Review and give me an answer! =D)**


	14. Whispers of Wind

**(A/N: Hey! I LOVE MY REVIEWERS!!!!!!!!!!! You SO totally rock! LOL sorry about the lameness of the statement... Anyway, thanks to you guys, you rock, so this chapter is dedicated to:**

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**AND**

**Californiagurl **(who was officially my 150th reviewer! You ROCK!)

**Sorry this chapter took so long, but something was being screwy and wouldn't let me upload. But today it's working! Yay! I have another question: What do you make of Dumbledore's patronus being a phoenix? (See the transcript from JKR's site for more details) I'll give my theories in the next chapter... And can someone please tell me what the HELL is a Mary-Sue??**

**So enjoy the next installment, knowing that you helped to speed along the process! xxx Julz)**

**Chapter Fourteen: Whispers of Wind**

James awoke the next morning feeling as though a sledge hammer was pounding against his heart. With the deaths of his parents so recent, he wanted nothing more than to mope around his room all day, and run his mind over all the times he had shared with them. He toyed with the idea of grabbing some food from the kitchens, when he decided he couldn't be bothered and that he would just grab some food from the Heads' cupboard.

He was pulling a flask of Pumpkin Juice and some Cornish Pixie Pasties from the pantry when Lily stumbled into the common room; her hair a mess and he eyes still sleepy.

"Hey," she said as casually as she could, her voice rasping as she spoke for the first time in over nine hours.

" 'Morning," came his groggy voice.

Lily sat down next to where he was positioned on the couch. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her eyes showing her earnest.

"Alright," James said. He let out a sigh. "I just wish it wasn't this hard."

"I know what you mean," said Lily, nodding. "When my parents died, I just wanted to run out the front door and never look back, like I could escape the pain. But deep down, you know it won't work. You have to face your grief some time."

James stared into the fireplace, and watched the sparks dance in a frenzy of heat around the burning logs. "Yeah."

The two sat in silence for over five minutes, each contemplating their own thoughts. Lily broke the silence after a time, uncomfortably aware of the awkwardness now descending upon them.

"Uh... you remember Dumbledore wanted us to go to that meeting tonight, in his office?" she quizzed James.

"Oh... right," said James, distracted by his thoughts. He thought, for the first time in his life, that he truly understood a part of Lily Evans. He knew now how she must have felt yesterday, facing the man- no, _thing-_ that had stolen her parents from her.

James spoke tentatively at first, but he soon plucked up his courage, and asked Lily, "How- how did you feel yesterday, facing- you know- _him?"_

"Well... I just kept thinking, 'we've got to get out of this', but when he- he said those things about us- I just couldn't take it..."

"I think I know what you mean now," said James quietly. "I mean, before, he was just an adversary... but now, it's like I have a reason to hate him, a _real_ reason... do you know what I mean?"

"That's exactly how I feel!" exclaimed Lily. "No one's every really understood about me before," she said, looking at him in awe.

_Wow... did Lily Evans just say that I was the first person to ever understand something about her? Too weird._

James began to feel his cheeks burn; he decided to change the subject as fast as he could, before Lily noticed. "So... have you thought about what Dumbledore said? About... about us living with him, I mean?"

"Not really," began Lily. She sighed. "It's all just so confusing. Of course I'll stay here for the holidays, but... after the end of this year, we are officially allowed to live on our own... but I don't really have the gold for my own place..." It was Lily's turn for her face to flush.

James smiled softly, aware of Lily's discomfort. Lily had always been worried about her money status in the wizarding world- while her parents had been considered wealthy, and she was to inherit a large amount of their fortune on her eighteenth birthday, the money exchange between the worlds had a large difference, resulting in Lily's money woes. James, while his background was nothing less than wealthy, did not consider those who had lesser amounts to spend as weaker people. _I was just born lucky. _

"I'm sure Dumbledore will let us stay for as long as we want. And besides, living with a man of that intelligence sure would be interesting."

"Yeah, imagine the things we could learn!" said Lily excitedly, and they were off; chatting like old friends about the way their lives might run if they decided to live with their Headmaster.

After about twenty minutes of avid conversation between the two of them, they came to a decision. "Well, you've made up my mind," laughed Lily. "I think I'll stay with him until I'll got enough gold to set myself up on my own."

"Likewise," nodded James, and Lily gasped in surprise.

"But- but you've already got enough gold! Why bother, when you can be out in the wizarding world, all on your own?"

"Well... that's just the thing, see... I like being around other people. It'll be nice to learn from Dumbledore. I want to support myself, too. I like to do things from my own accord, you know? Besides, he can help with my Auror training."

"Yeah... hey, you're going into the Auror training program too?"

"Yeah, like my olds. But... I know you hate it when I sound all arrogant," he said and Lily grinned, "I've already been accepted. And by the sound of it, you have too! I thought I was the only one...?"

"No," answered Lily. "Well; yes, I was accepted, but after you, as much as I hate to admit it, so you wouldn't have known."

"Really?" asked James. "Didn't feel kinda- I dunno- _proud_ when they asked you? My dad told me I was the first person accepted whilst still at school in over 200 years... but now, I guess we both can make that claim to fame..." he said, grinning.

"Yeah..." smiled Lily.

They both stood up at the same time and laughed.

"I was just going to the balcony," said James. "Coming with?" he asked, extending his forearm.

Lily giggled and thrust her arm into his, and joined him out on the sunlit balcony. The summer air breezed past them as they stared onto the pristine grounds and lake.

"You know, I'm really glad we had this talk," admitted Lily as she turned to face James. Her eyes shone with friendship and warmth and he smiled back, amazed at just how far they had come in the last few days.

"So am I," said James lightly. "I'm glad were friends. And it's all thanks to Harry."

_Yes, _smiled Lily. A_ll thanks to Harry._

Lily and James spent the rest of the morning out in the sunshine, enjoying the warmth that had spread around and chatting more comfortably than they had in all their time at Hogwarts.

After awhile, they became bored, and decided to just ask each other random questions.

"Who was your first crush?" Lily asked James, as she chewed on some Bertie Bott's beans.

"Uh... well- it was you, to tell the truth," blushed James.

"Get real!" said Lily, laughing. "You were going out with that Hufflepuff girl, Jane, when we met, remember?"

"Yeah, I didn't actually _like_ her..."

"What?!"

"She was a bet with Sirius, because, well... we _were_ eleven, and... yes, I know it was stupid," said James, aware of Lily's reproachful stare. "My turn. Who was _your_ first crush?"

"If you must know, it was Sirius," sniffed Lily, though she smiled as James' face turned red.

"What?! When was this?" cried James, his face reddening once more, as he watched Lily for any trace of emotions.

"Second year," she said, smiling at the memory, and James' indignation. "But I was twelve, alright? It was a stupid crush. Why are you so worried anyway? Are you..." she gasped mockingly, _"jealous?"_

"No!" blurted James. "I was- I was just wondering."

"Sure," said Lily, and she turned back to face the grounds, a secretive smile playing on her lips.

_Nice try, James. Evans: 1; Potter: 0._

"OW!" came a loud cry from their common room. Lily and James simultaneously grabbed their wands from their pockets, and wheeled around to face the fire.

Harry was picking himself up off the floor, an annoyed look on his face as he surveyed the clutter in the common room. "You two need to clean up after yourselves!" he said, and then swore viciously as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Harry!" reprimanded Lily.

James sighed and rolled his eyes. Such_ a mother._

"Well, if you guys were going to take the day off again, you could have at least told me!" Harry yelled, obviously slightly infuriated with them.

"Oh, not again!" cried Lily; neither she nor James had realised once again that they had forgotten to go to class.

"Yeah, thought so- you guys didn't remember your teachers had a mountain of homework for you, did you?"

"No," said James and Lily, glancing guiltily at each other.

"Well, being the fantastic son that I am," he paused and allowed himself a grin, "I've been to see McGonagall and Dumbledore and they've said it's alright for you to take the day off again, as long as you go to the meeting tonight in Dumbledore's office and James goes to breakfast tomorrow looking suitably depressed so the other students don't think the professors are favouring you guys."

Lily sighed with relief again and returned to her spot on the balcony, stowing her wand away. "Thanks," she breathed, as James slid down back next to her.

Harry 'harrumphed' and James conjured him up a chair like his and Lily's, and Harry sat down before continuing.

"Also, being the fantastic son that I am, I have brought your mountain of homework _to_ you!" he said brightly. "Accio Bag!"

A schoolbag zoomed towards them, stocked to the brim with worksheets and textbooks from their teachers. "Here you go," said Harry. "I'm off to enjoy the sunshine. Bye!"

"Don't go into Hogsmeade!" Lily called to his retreating back, but he said nothing and just waved back at them.

James groaned and looked away from the massive amount of homework in front of him, as though he couldn't bear to look at it. "I spose we better get started on this."

Lily's mind was still on Harry. "If he goes to Hogsmeade, I'll kill him," she muttered, regretfully picking up a sheet on paper and her quill.

"He's not that stupid," said James. "Voldemort was there only yesterday. He won't try anything like that in a hurry."

"I guess not," said Lily, beginning her schoolwork. True enough, when she looked down on to the Hogwarts' grounds an hour later, Harry was sitting by the lake, chatting to someone who she couldn't quite make out.

_Nice to see he's making friends. God, do I sound like a mother or what?_

She sighed and stuffed the Potions textbook she had been reading back into the bag. "James."

"Yeah?" he said, not looking up from the Transfiguration work he was checking.

"Don't you think it's- kinda weird how... well, in the last four days, we've gained a son, escaped a Dementor, escaped Voldemort, gained knowledge of our future, and became friends...?"

"Yeah," he said again, thinking about Lily's question. "The weirdest part though, is us actually being able to talk without biting each other's heads off." He grinned at her, and she stumbled on her breath, momentarily amazed at how gorgeous he was.

_What the hell???? Did you _seriously_ just think that?_

Lily took a deep breath a smiled. "Yeah."

James' face became clouded, and after a couple of minutes he spoke again. "I know this sounds really selfish, but..."

Lily nodded. "Go on."

"I never thought I could care about another human being so much. And then, Harry walked in, and I couldn't believe it. The worrying and stuff just came so easily."

"I know. It's amazing isn't? And to think, a week ago, I was only worried about passing my NEWTs."

James smiled and looked fondly at his son, who was still chatting animatedly to his companion, down by the lake. "Exactly."

"Do you want to know something?" Lily whispered, and the wind fluttered through her hair. James tucked a long red lock behind one her ears, and he and Lily blushed at the same time.

_Ok, James, you do NOT like Lily Evans._

"What?" he whispered back, unable to contain the smile that was spreading across his face.

"I always wanted to name my first son Harry," said Lily, still whispering as she stared into James hazel eyes, unable to tear her eyes away from them.

"That's kinda weird, because I did too," he smiled; his stare drinking from her emerald eyes.

"Our son, Harry Potter," breathed Lily. "And now he's here."

They continued to stare and smile at each other for a long time. The sun set and they surveyed the grounds, at total peace with one another and themselves.


	15. The Order of the Phoenix

**(A/N: Hey everyone... Enjoy the next chapter! Can anyone tell me what a Mary-Sue is? Thanks! **

**Fate's Fall Angel: For some reason [LOL], when Harry goes back in time and eventually goes back to the present, no time has passed. Read Chapter Two.)**

**Chapter Fifteen: The Order of the Phoenix**

Harry surveyed the scene before him, relaxing as he leaned back on his palms, facing the lake once more. He felt at total peace here. Nothing to disturb him, just the glint of the sun off the water. Nothing to worry about, aside from the random passer-by.

"Hey! Harry!" called a voice, disturbing the silence. He looked to his left to see Lily's friend, Gemma, trotting towards him.

"Hi," he said, smiling; he suddenly became aware of how little he knew about his mother's best friends.

"Remember me? I'm Gemma," she said with a breathless grin.

"Sure I do," he said, becoming entranced by her turquoise eyes. _She's gorgeous!_

"Well, that's something," she said, still panting slightly. "I saw you sitting over here and thought I'd come for a chat. Have Lily and James ditched you?"

"Actually... I ditched them- their mountain of homework didn't really appeal to me." He grinned, transfixed by the beauty her eyes possessed.

Gemma smiled and laughed; a tinkling laugh that bewitched Harry from the start. "Sounds like something I would have done."

"So... where are your other friends?" questioned Harry, embarrassed by the silence that had fallen between them.

"Oh, Kelly and Tammie are off studying in the library for the Potions test tomorrow, and of course I didn't make it into Potions NEWT, so I have nothing better to do than come out here."

"Thanks a lot," said Harry jokingly, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh- I didn't mean it that way!" she spluttered, blushing.

Harry laughed at her embarrassment, his emerald eyes dancing in the sparkling in the glint of light off the lake. Gemma smiled too, revealing a row of perfect teeth and a dazzling smile.

Gemma was transfixed by Harry's eyes. _I see them everyday, though, on Lily..._ she marveled. _But on Harry... he's so... _"Gorgeous," she breathed, still staring at him, even though he had turned back to the lake.

"What?" he asked quickly, and Gemma realised she had spoken aloud.

"Uh... I was just saying how gorgeous the lake looks today!" she said, searching wildly for an excuse; her cheeks burning.

"Yeah," agreed Harry, smiling.

"Gemma, Harry!" said Sirius, coming up behind them with Remus and plonking himself down beside them.

"Hi there," said Gemma, smiling; she got on a lot better than Lily did with the Marauders, having known James and Remus her whole life; before they even knew each other. Like them, she came from a wealthy, pureblood background, and had never lacked for anything. While Lily's background was much the same, their difference in ancestry was always between them, no matter how close they were. But this was one of the reasons they were friends; after all, they both thought that the way the past dictated some people's futures was stupid.

"What are you to up to?" asked Remus casually, sitting beside Sirius.

"Nothing much," answered Harry. "Just chatting. Where've you to been?"

"The same," said Sirius, but when Gemma turned her back to him, he mouthed, 'Hogsmeade'. Harry stifled a chuckle as Gemma stood suddenly, proclaiming her intentions of rescuing her friends from the library. "Bye, guys- bye, Harry!"

"Bye," said the three boys in unison. As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Remus and Sirius started sniggering.

"What? _What?"_ asked Harry, becoming more and more annoyed when they wouldn't answer him.

"_Bye, Harry!"_ mimicked Sirius, and he and Remus continued laughing stupidly.

"Just what were you doing with Gemma Morredale, hottest girl in our year?" asked Remus, when he had finally recovered.

"Talking to her!" snapped Harry. "Is it against the law to talk to girls here?"

"Ooh, Harry, remember to take your happy pills in the morning," smiled Sirius, before continuing. "No, it's against the law, otherwise I'd be in Azkaban by now," he winked.

Harry and Remus rolled their eyes.

"What he's trying to say, young Harry, is that a lot of the male student population may be threatening to end your life pretty soon."

Sirius snorted. "That's putting it kindly. So, young Harry, I advise to stick with us for awhile, as the Marauders are used to this kind of thing."

Harry laughed, sure Sirius was pulling his leg, but when he looked around as nonchalantly as he could, a few menacing glares were turned his way.

Sirius saw him looking and laughed too. "Might I suggest we visit our friends in the kitchens? I'm absolutely _starving," _announced Sirius.

"Padfoot, when are you ever not?" asked Remus as they made their way back inside the castle and into the kitchens.

"Master Black! Master Lupin!" squealed the house elves as soon as they saw the boys. "But where is Master Potter and Master Pettigrew?"

"Studying," lied Sirius casually, before turning to one of the house elves, eager to please his own stomach. "Got any more of those truffles from last week?"

"Of course, Master Black!" beamed the elf, most likely a female; she scurried into a cupboard and out of sight.

"Where is Wormtail?" Harry asked Remus quietly.

"Visiting his mum, she's sick," he answered, as Sirius received his parcel and began eating straight away as they exited the kitchens.

"Where'sh Prongsh?" asked Sirius through a mouthful of chocolate and cream, spraying food all over Harry and Remus.

Harry wiped the gunk from himself, handing Sirius a napkin and answered, "With Lily, doing homework in their common room, which I so kindly brought them."

"Good one," spluttered Remus; he too had started on the truffles.

The three started walking, without heading anywhere in particular; they stopped suddenly and Harry asked, "Common room?"

"Yeah, spose so," answered Remus, and they walked toward Gryffindor tower.

"Centaurian," announced Harry to the Fat Lady. The portrait door swung open and they clambered through, only to find the room deserted.

"Where the hell is everyone?" asked Sirius.

Remus groaned. "Dinner, obviously. Let's go, because now _I'm _starving. Those truffles wouldn't fill anyone up."

After tramping through the deserted halls once more they sat down in their usual seats with Lily, James, Tammie, Gemma and Kelly in the Great Hall. They were almost too busy to notice Lily and James sneaking looks at each other- almost.

Harry smirked and watched the others do the same thing as Lily and James made eye contact and blushed simultaneously.

_Right, I better change the subject Sirius opens his trap..._ thought Harry, finishing off his forkful of steak and kidney pie. "So, what time are you two going to Dumbledore's?"

"After dinner," replied James, wiping his mouth. "I wonder what he wants to talk to us about, though," he mused.

"Probably just Head duties and the like," remarked Lily unenthusiastically, shrugging. "Come on, James; we'd better go."

They stood and left, leaving the others laughing in their wake.

"They-want-each-other-_bad," _choked Sirius.

"Oh, but they're so _cute_ though!" cried Kelly, the hopeless romantic of the group.

Harry laughed, but then the idea of his parents off snogging in a broom closet popped into his head and he almost threw up. _No matter how young they are, it's still gross._

When the laughter died down they trooped off to the common room again. Harry realised suddenly that Sirius had gone to his dorm early; this was very unlike him...

"Hey, where's Sirius gone?" Remus wondered aloud, obviously thinking the same thing as Harry.

"Upstairs, I think," said Harry. "I might go too. 'Night, everyone!"

"'Night!" they replied; Gemma smiled at him, eyes sparkling, and heat blasted through his cheeks.

He climbed slowly to the dorm until he reached the door; he hovered outside for a moment, until he heard a whimpering noise.

Sirius was crying.

Harry knew what it was over- his (now dead) grandparents. Slowly, quietly; he opened the door and wordlessly handed the sobbing form of Sirius a box of tissues.

"It'll be ok," he said, softly.

"No, it won't! James and I will have no where to go now," Sirius cried. "The house had been destroyed. And- and- the Potters were like my _real_ parents- not like those assholes at _The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black-"_ he spat disgustedly.

"Then you and James can live together somewhere else. It'll be alright," said Harry, though he didn't really know what to say.

"I suppose," muttered Sirius. "I'm just being an idiot. I shouldn't be like this; I need to be strong for James..."

"I think Mum's doing a good job," said Harry. "She's been through the same thing before, remember?"

"Yeah," murmured Sirius fervently. He wiped his eyes and stood up so suddenly Harry almost fell off his bed.

"Let's have a party."

Lily and James sat quietly in the chairs they had sat in only yesterday. Dumbledore smiled at them and they smiled back, though rather nervously.

_What does he want us here for?_ Wondered Lily silently.

"I'm sure you're both wondering what you're here for," smiled Dumbledore. "I assure, neither of you is in any trouble. I wish to talk to you about the Order of the Phoenix."

"What's that, sir?" asked Lily, frowning.

"It is an organization founded by myself and Mr Moody here," said their Headmaster.

Lily and James looked to where he was gesturing and were astounded to see a man, covered in head to with visible scars, standing there. Mr Moody had blended in to Dumbledore's very well.

"Good evening," said Lily and James cautiously, before James burst out.

"Hey, I know you! You're friends with my parents, right? Or- you were-" he finished awkwardly.

James shrunk back into his chair and choked down the lump in his throat. Lily patted his hand reassuringly and changed the subject.

"So... what exactly does this organization do, sir?"

"The Order is comprised of of-age wizards and witches who work for the defeat of Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said softly.

"I'll join," said the Head students together.

"I thought you might." Dumbledore smiled benignly before continuing. "But there are dangers involved. I also cannot permit you to join until you have left school. I know that both of you are ready for it; however, attracting Voldemort to the school is in no one's best interests."

Lily and James nodded, and Moody moved forward.

"Alright, you two; if you join the order, you must be willing to fight the Dark side everyday for the rest of your lives. Can you do that?"

Lily and James nodded again, though slower this time.

"Really? Are you truly ready? Ready to give your life for the lives of others? Order members must be aware of the dangers involved. If the time comes for you to do what is right or what is easy, you must know which choice is the best in a heartbeat. Can you do that?"

Lily and James looked at each other, searching for the answers in one another's eyes. They found it.

"Yes."

"Alright then. Dumbledore, would you like to do the honours?'

"Of course, Alastor."

Their Headmaster moved forward, a bowl in his hand. "Lily Madison Evans. _Segua la luce di Phoenix._"

He dipped his hand into the bowl; Lily could see it fully now... It was filled with... _No..._ Liquid _light?_

Dumbledore sprinkled the light onto Lily's forehead, but they didn't land there... They fell _inside_ her...

Lily's skin glowed as the light entered her; it filled her, sustaining her soul... _I'm a part of the light side..._

Dumebledore did the same to James, and then placed the bowl back on his table. "You are now Order members. Before you go, I would like to talk to both of you about your Head duties."

The two nodded again and Alastor Moody swept out of the office.

"Thank you both for this," said Dumbledore. He sighed. "It is imperative to the future that we go on with the plan."

Lily and James were puzzled. _What plan?_

Dumbledore went on like nothing had happened. "Have you decided on my proposal yesterday?"

"Yes," answered Lily, "and it's a yes from both of us." She smiled, and their Headmaster grinned.

"I was hoping you might say that. What a lively household we will have!"

James grinned at the thought. "What did you need to ask us about our Head duties, sir?"

"I was wondering if you though anymore about the upcoming Start of Term Ball."

James looked mortified- he had completely forgotten- but Lily kept her cool.

"Actually, we have," she smiled, pinching James' arm under the desk. "We were wondering if it could a muggle ball- with dresses and suits?"

"That sounds interesting," said Dumbledore. "Why not? I would do the Muggle Studies students some good. Is there anywhere is Hogsmeade this- er- attire can be found?"

"Right next to Honeydukes, sir," replied Lily.

"Excellent. Where should we have it then... James?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... yes..." he muttered; he hadn't been listening. He looked at Lily and she pointed at a picture on Dumbledore's desk.

"How about here?" James asked, showing the photo.

Dumbledore smiled at the image; people danced in the background and the chandeliers above glistened. "Kriston Hall," he murmured. "It would be perfect."

"Where is it, sir?' asked Lily.

"On the other side of the school. There is a hall and a dining area, but it is pretty old now. I will grant you a few evenings to fix it up with your friends. Are we agreed?"

"Yes, sir," they answered. Lily and James bade their Headmaster goodnight and started their journey back to their common room.

"It's going to be really good, don't you think?" asked Lily as they walked.

"I suppose," muttered James. "It's just... I have to work _and_ wear a tux?"


	16. Tickle Paint

**(A/N: Hey again! To my reviewers... You rock my toe-socks!! And thanks heaps to little-angel123452000 for the Mary-Sue info! Enjoy Chapter Sixteen!**

**Sorry this took so long by the way! I know it's kinda short too but I found it hard to write. Is it hard to read?)**

**Chapter Sixteen: Tickle Paint**

"YYYYYYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" screamed James as he Lily clambered through the portrait hole.

The Gryffindor common room was in complete disarray. Empty cups, packets of food and unconscious bodies littered the usually clean floor. A puddle of an unknown liquid flooded a corner of the room, a keg of some sort suspended in midair above it. Lily gasped as she surveyed the chaos ensued by many of the partying students in the room. The music thudded to a halt as James' yell rang out through the room. Many people attempted to escape punishment by running up the stairs, until James drew his wand and shouting a freezing charm.

"What the hell is going on here?' asked James again, though with considerably more control this time.

"Party," squeaked someone from the shadows.

Lily spoke up. "We can see that," she growled. "And who, may I ask, decided to organize this little get together?"

Sirius face popped up suddenly in front of Lily and James. "Prongs," he whispered. "PRONGS! MATE!" HOW ARE YAH?" he yelled in his obvious ecstasy.

"He's off his face!" said Lily. "HARRY!"

Their son's guilty face appeared in front of them, desperately trying to hide his cup behind his back. Lily grabbed it from him and sniffed it. Definitely Firewhisky.

"It's Firewhiskey," confirmed Lily, speaking only to James. "But that wouldn't have gotten Sirius so high..."

James was astounded. So was Harry. "How do you know?"

_Ugh. Don't ask. _"It's not important," she said, dismissing it. "We've got to clear up this mess before a teacher walks in."

"LISTEN UP!" cried James to the room at large. "We are going to clean up this room, right now. Anyone caught trying to get out of cleaning will be sent straight to McGonagall. Understand?"

Mute nods flew through the room as the freezing charm wore off. James handed Sirius over to Remus and helped Lily in directing jobs to the Gryffindors.

When all the furniture and rubbish had been moved to their appropriate positions in the common room, Lily chanted, "Scourgify!"

Everything was clean once more. Students of all ages trudged off to bed.

James sighed and sat down into a squishy armchair. "That was a-"

At that moment, the portrait swung open with a crack! And McGonagall swept in. "What is going on- Oh," she blinked. "I seem to have been mistaken. Mr Potter, Miss Evans; I have heard reports of an illegal party in the Gryffindor common room tonight." Looking sternly at them with a steely eye, she continued, "Is that so?"

James gulped but Lily went into full innocent mode; her eyes widened and she said angelically, "No, Professor! Gryffindors aren't stupid enough to do _that,"_ she confirmed with a small chuckle, letting her voice 'casually' drift up the stairs to where she was sure most of her fellow students were listening attentively.

McGonagall sighed took a few steps towards the door. "I hope you're right, Miss Evans," she said, before vanishing though the portrait hole.

James breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close one. I'm going to go and check on Sirius."

Lily nodded. "Send Harry down. I want to talk to him about this little get together."

James smile and wandered slowly up the stairs, wary of what he might find. He eventually popped open the seventh-year boys dorm door open to reveal Sirius bouncing crazily on his bed; Remus, Harry and Peter were all sitting glumly on Harry's bed on the other side of the room.

"What's happening?" asked James, eyeing his warily. "What did he take?"

"We think it might have been Tickle Paint," said Remus.

James' face dropped. "Oh, no," he whispered sullenly.

"What's that?" asked Harry, confused. "Why's it so bad?"

"Harry- oh, by the way, go and see Lily after this- it's bad because Sirius has had it before. It's a drug, kind o f like Muggle ones, but different. It sends you high but it's much worse than that. It's really strong and only wears off after the person sees the full moon. But..."

"But what?" asked Peter; he didn't know much about this either

"Well..." began Remus. "You see, when James and I were about nine, and we- ah- didn't like Sirius very much, because he was a Black... we- well, we put something in his drink at James' parents party once."

"And Sirius had an allergic reaction to it," said James. "He almost ended up getting all of us killed. Luckily it was a full moon that night, or Sirius would've been stuck like that for quite awhile.

"Even so, because he's allergic, it makes his magic spazz out. He can't control it and weird things- like, _really_ weird things- happen. It's hard to explain. Basically we can't control him either, until he sees a full moon. But that's not for another few weeks, so..."

"We're screwed. Ok, I get it now," said Harry. "I'm going to see Mum. Do you want me to ask her about it?"

"No!" cried Remus. "No, we'll do this on our own."

Harry left and closed the dorm door firmly behind him. Sirius finished bouncing on a bed and turned to them, grinning manically. "IT'S PRONGS! HEY MATE!"

He clapped his hands once and grabbed James by the sleeve of his robes. After dragging James over to the window, Sirius let go off his hold on his James' sleeve, which promptly burst into flames. James swore and put it out with water from his wand.

"We've got to take him to Dumbledore, or at least Madam Pomfrey," said James hurriedly, grabbing Sirius down from the window he was trying to climb out of. "They'll know what to do."

"Not Pomfrey, the woman's an absolute dragon. Come on, let's go to Dumbledore," sighed Remus dejectedly.

James grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and the Map before throwing it gently over Sirius. "Let's go."

After they informed Lily of their 'nighttime stroll', Remus, James and Sirius walked slowly and carefully towards the Headmaster's office, with Peter as Wormtail guiding their way in front of him as he wouldn't have fit under the cloak anyway.

"I don't get it," mulled Remus quietly. "How could he have gotten the Tickle Paint? I was watching him the whole night because Harry said that he was upset, I'm not sure what about, but... do you think he took it himself?"

"No, he's not that stupid. I hope. Maybe he was upset about my parents?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Oh, yeah," said Remus, his eyes widening.

When they reached Dumbledore's quarters, James brought the group to a halt. Sirius reached out his hand to touch a marble step, promptly setting it on fire as he had before.

"How the hell?!" cried James in his amazement, "that's got to be magical fire, obviously. What else would set _marble_ on fire?"

Another burst of fire appeared in front of them, followed by a piece of parchment fluttering down with it. James recognized the crest on the front as the Order's symbol and snatched it up. It read...

_To whom it may concern,_

_The effects of the wizard drug 'Tickle Paint' may be wardened off with a drop off phoenix tears... but why would anyone want to know that?_

_Albus Dumbledore_

The flames had disappeared and when James had read the note, a softly singing Fawkes stood in his place.

"Cry for me, Fawkes," said James quietly. The phoenix let out a low, quivering note a single pearly tear dropped into James' palm, staying in its perfect teardrop shape like magic. Pure magic.

"Here," said James, motioning for Remus to hold Sirius still- easier said than done. Sirius jumped out of Remus' grasp with a high-pitched 'pop', hurtling in the air and landing four feet away from them. He proceeded to begin to skip down the corridor.

James sighed again. "Sorry, Padfoot. _Accio!"_

Sirius flew through the air towards them, gaining speed until he crashed into a well-place shield charm Remus had performed only moments before.

Even though they knew what had to be done, it made it nonetheless more appealing. In all honesty, who really wanted to stun their friend?

"I'll do it," said Remus, nominating himself. "Stupefy!"

Sirius, who had been slowly picking himself up from his haphazard position on the floor, grinning toothily, fell back down again. The laughter in his smile remained fixed in position, even though there was surprise hidden behind the eyes.

James opened his mouth and the pearly tear fell onto Sirius' tongue.

"Ok, get back," warned Remus. They crouched behind a statue of Derryn the Deranged. They had seen it before. It wasn't pretty.

A light filled the room like an ethereal sign. It entered Sirius' mouth and shone though his eyes, while the rest of his body jerked and retched.

"Oh crap!" whispered Remus. "I forgot the-"

"ARGHH!" yelled Sirius, as the light reached his vocal cords.

"Silencing charm," finished Moony lamely.

"Oh crap," muttered James. "Here we go!"

A horrible retching sound came from Sirius and moment later the floor was contaminated with-

"Eww," said Peter, a tad unnecessarily. Vomit covered the floor surrounding and they each grabbed out their wands to clear it away.

"You don't say," groaned James. "Scourgify!"

The vomit cleared away and they each sighed with relief, including the newly 'repaired' Padfoot.

"Sorry guys," he mumbled. "Let's get back to the tower. But first..."

"Let me guess," said Remus. "The kitchens? Padfoot, you can't be hungry after _that."_

"Hey, it emptied my stomach!" he protested.

"Fine, then, let's go," said James; though Remus noticed the annoyance in his tone.

Moony pulled James aside. "Go. Lily needs you. About Harry, I mean."

James nodded in thanks. "Thanks, Moony."

They had come to the end of the corridor they walking though. James waved the others good bye as he took a shortcut through a painting on the right and they continued through another corridor on the left. As he went to swing the portrait door shut, he heard Sirius say loudly, "I wonder if a vomit flavored Bertie Bott's bean tastes like the real thing?"


	17. Time Tracking

**(A/N: Hey again, here's another installment for you. I realise that at this time in the story it's getting a little boring, so I added some drama. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of that soon. D If you're wondering what Dumbledore said when he inducted Lily and James into the Order- _Segua La Luce Di Phoenix _means _Follow The Light of The Phoenix._)**

**Chapter Seventeen: Time Tracking**

****

"Harry, what exactly happened this evening?" asked Lily, a concerned look stealing the happiness from behind her eyes. "How could you let Sirius take that drug?"

"It's kind of a long story," said Harry weakly, aware of the reprimands that were coming.

"Well, neither Lily nor I are tired, so spill." James knew he was making unfounded assumptions, but he knew Lily wanted to know what had happened too.

"Fine. Whatever. But first- promise you wont get angry?" Harry muttered.

Lily almost laughed at the pleading look on his face. So much had happened in the last few days. _It's times like these I have to remind myself that I'm a parent,_ she thought with a slight smile.

Harry was surprised to see Lily smiling. "We promise that we'll forgive, even if we do get angry."

"Ok then... well... Sirius- he was- Sirius was really upset before; he was crying and _everything... _and he said he was still upset about- about your parents, Dad."

James nodded solemnly. "I expected as much. Sirius was almost as close to your grandparents as I was, Harry."

Lily looked at him in surprise and he glanced at her expression curiously, as though wondering what she was thinking. _God, he sounds so mature, _she mused silently.

Harry went on, missing the looks of his bemused parents. "So, all of sudden he just stopped moping, and goes, 'let's have a party', and I was wondering what the hell he was on about, and then he grabbed the Cloak and the Map and then ran off somewhere, I guess Hogsmeade, and then he came back with all this stuff, like Firewhisky and Butterbeer and Pumpkin Pasties and then everyone just started drinking and- well, I had a _little_ bit- and then Sirius disappeared again and when I saw him again, he gave me his drink, and the next thing I knew he was spazzing out like before," he finished, breathing deeply.

"What map and cloak are you _talking_ about?" demanded Lily.

"Don't worry," said James. "It's not important."

Lily hastily opened her mouth to object, but James added, "We have to talk about Harry. Remember?"

She sighed and sank further into her squishy armchair. She knew he was right. "Ok then... James, you start off."

James, though surprised at Lily's instructions to take the lead, began, "Do you have any idea where Sirius got the Tickle Paint from? Did he take it himself or did someone put it in his drink? Where were you when it-"

"Prongsie!" yelled Sirius cheerfully as he came through the portrait hole, closely followed by Remus, Peter and an enormous stack of food.

"Hey, Padfoot!" said James, happy that his friend was back to normal. "I'll be upstairs in a sec, okay guys?"

"Sure," answered Sirius thickly as he began his midnight feast. "Night Lils, night Harry!"

"Hey- Sirius! You haven't told us what happened tonight," said Harry quickly.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Sirius answered thoughtfully. He wandered over from the staircase and sat down into one of the chairs grouped around Harry, James and Lily. "Well, I'd just gone upstairs to-"

"Hang on, I want to hear this," said Remus quickly, and he and Peter sat down. Harry and Lily were surprised to see Peter; they thought he was at his mother's still.

"What are you doing back here?" asked Harry rather rudely. James looked at him, half curious, half annoyed at his son, when Peter said in a small voice, "I came back during the party. My mum was- was feeling better."

"That's good," said Lily kindly; she looked back at Harry and frowned at him.

"Anyway, it's good that you're back, Pete. Sirius...?" said James.

"Oh, right. Well, like I said, I'd just gone up the stairs, and I left my drink down the bottom, and when I came back, it tasted different. Weird."

"Padfoot, you don't just leave your drink lying around, it could get spiked- it did!" said Remus, rolling his eyes.

"Chill, I didn't just leave my drink _'lying around'_- Harry had it. Look, mate, I appreciate the free drugs, but next time, I'd be grateful for the warning," Sirius told Harry with a slight smile.

"I didn't spike your drink!" cried Harry. "I don't know who did it."

"Harry, how could anyone have spiked his drink if you had it the whole time?" asked James exasperatedly.

Harry squirmed visibly in his cozy chair. "Well- maybe not- what do you mean by '_the whole time'_?"

The others groaned as one except for Sirius, who didn't really understand the magnitude of the situation, now that he was back to normal again. Instead, he took to manically grinning and shooting winks at his friends randomly, while he got back to eating his truffles.

"What were you doing then?" asked Lily cautiously.

"I- I was... just dancing," he muttered.

"Ooooooo-oooooh," said Sirius, sounding very much like a seven year old, "Who with?"

"Just- just Gemma," said Harry, his cheeks burning as though he had swallowed an entire litre of Pepper Up Potion.

"Gemma, hey?" wondered Lily with a sparkle in her eyes. "So where exactly did you put Sirius' drink down?"

"Over there, on that table," said Harry, gesturing to an old folded card table that looked likely to collapse if so much as a moth landed on it.

"That held up his drink?" asked Remus, eyebrows raised.

"No, actually it collapsed, and then spilled on the floor, so I have absolutely no idea who did it or how Sirius' drink was spiked."

"Great," grumbled James.

"We're just going round in circles," announced Lily. "What we need is a way of seeing what happened."

"Oh, yeah, we'll just go back in time and watch this evening's events!" said James sarcastically, and Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, it's not that hard," said Harry, fake-modest, and they laughed.

"But seriously, Lily; we can't go back in time without a Time Turner, and since Harry's legally not allowed to use it, we don't have anyway of seeing what happened," said Remus.

"Well, actually... I've kind of been working on a charm that lets you go back in time... but it's not legal either... I mean, in accordance to the Magical Decree 4.3, every spell has to be licensed and registered... but if we get caught..." Lily began, but Remus interrupted.

"Wow! You really made up your own charm? That's amazing," he exclaimed, clearly impressed.

"Yeah Mum, especially one that's as complicated as that's bound to be," said Harry.

Lily blushed, and ploughed on, "But like I was saying- If we get caught, well... we'll end up in Azkaban for sure. Is that really worth finding out something that's already happened- something we can't change anyway?"

"But what if the person who spiked Sirius' drink does it again?" asked James.

Lily was still unsure. "I really don't know, guys... it's a big risk..."

Sirius, Remus, Harry and Peter looked at James, who hesitated before talking. "Lily, it's time we let you in on a Marauder secret."

Lily almost dismissed it as teenage boys' nonsense before natural curiosity took over. "What do you mean?"

"We have a way of getting around the teachers. We can ensure that we will not be seen. But if you ever tell, we'll give you a fate worse than Azkaban," announced Sirius happily.

Lily was intrigued. "Go on."

"You see, James' dad, just before James started at Hogwarts," said Remus, "gave James a special gift for his eleventh birthday- an Invisibility Cloak."

"Cool!" she murmured.

"Yeah, it was," continued Sirius. "And when James arrived at Hogwarts to discover the three best friends anyone had ever known, they made a pact to make sure they became the greatest troublemakers ever known to Hogwarts."

"Do you guys rehearse this or something?" she quizzed them, eyebrow raised strategically.

Sirius pretended not to hear her. "When these devilishly handsome young men arrived in their third year, they surprised even themselves by creating the very first Marauder's Map- a live showing of the everyday outings of every single person inside the Hogwarts Grounds at any time."

"Really? Sounds most impressive, Sir Black. And here I was, innocently thinking that you relied on your God-given talents alone!" said Lily sarcastically- but she grinning.

"Hey, who said I didn't have talent?" argued Sirius.

"Oh shut up, you two. Lily, how do we get this charm of yours working?" asked James quickly.

"Let me just say the word. You've got the cloak?"

"Yep."

"Alright then. Are we all ready?"

"Yep."

"Ok. Just put your hands here. _No,_ Sirius, _not_ there. Here. Ok. Ready? _Timapero!"_

* * *

"Padfoot, _shut up!"_

"Ouch, watch it!"

"Get off my foot Moony!"

"_Shh!"_

Footsteps down the hall.

"What was that?"

"What does it _sound_ like, idiot?"

"Someone's coming!"

"Shut up!"

"Why weren't you watching the map?"

"Prongs, stop _breathing_ on me!"

"For starters, because there's no room to swing Pringle's cat much less open a map!"

"_Shh!"_

"Who's there?" A different voice. Cold.

"It's Pringle!"

"Dammit!"

"_Shh!"_ Lily smacked Sirius on the arm and then crept as silently as she could around the corner, tugging Remus, Sirius and James with her. Harry and Peter, however, had stayed in the present, mostly due to the fact that, thanks to the boys newly acquired heights of 6 foot-ish each, they were already seriously struggling for space under the Invisibility Cloak.

They walked slowly, quietly, not making a sound. Just as they were about to turn a corner into the Gryffindor Hallway, James-

BANG!

"OW!" he yelled as he landed on the floor. "Stupid bloody spellbooks."

"Potter, your dad should have given you a Silencing Blanket to go with Cloak of yours. You really shouldn't-"

"_Shh!"_

Sniffing as he came, Apollygon Pringle, Hogwarts' resident caretaker, crept along their corridor, evidently searching for the person that caused the noise created by James' fall. He paused within four inches of the group, and as one, they stopped breathing.

Apollygon Pringle seemed satisfied with his search and eventually moved on to terrify some first years.

Lily let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly checked her watch.

"Come on, we better get going- what time did you say you gave your drink to Harry?"

"About 10:30," replied Sirius.

"Ok, so all we've got to do is stay out of sight and get into Gryffindor Tower without anyone noticing."

"Easier said than done, Evans."

* * *

It was 10:16 on the dot. Lily, James, Remus and Sirius had managed to sneak in to Gryffindor Tower without being seen, aided of course by the Cloak and Map.

"Hey, check this out," said Sirius, holding the map in front of him as they crouched near the dilapidated table. They all looked at Marauder's Map, its many labeled dots whirring.

"That's us there," he pointed out their dots separately, labeled _James Potter 1, Lily Evans 1, Remus Lupin1, _and_ Sirius Black 1,_ "And there's us now." _James Potter 2_ and so on were crouched into a corner of the Gryffindor common room.

"Weird," agreed James, before turning his attention back to the partying crowds in front of them in time to see Sirius 1 walk slowly up to the boy's dormitories.

"Guys!" hissed James, and Lily nudged Sirius who was still focused on the map.

"Won't be long now," muttered Remus.

Harry, who had Sirius' drink hand, had just been approached by Gemma. They smiled shyly at each other before Gemma asked Harry if he wanted to dance.

"All together now... _Awww,"_ proclaimed Sirius smiling.

"You're such a Hallmark card," said Lily, smiling as she smacked him playfully on the back of the head.

"A what?" whispered Sirius confused, as a hand-holding couple walked past them, temporarily blocking their view of the table.

"Don't worry, it's Muggle stuff." Lily blushed slightly and turned back to Harry who appeared to have been hesitating before taking up Gemma's offer. He eventually smiled and held out his hand, which Gemma blushingly took. He placed Sirius' drink on the table, which promptly snapped in half, causing the drink to spill all over the floor.

Harry's head whipped back at the sudden noise; he took in the scene before and shrugged, not overly worried- Sirius could always get another drink, after all.

Just then, a figure broke the scene, creeping in from the shadows, clothed in a dark and heavy fashion. They repaired the table and used a Supporting Spell to keep it lifted. After grabbing an abandoned cup of Firewhisky, the figure grabbed a vial of a putrid coloured liquid into the cup, which smoked for a few seconds and then returned to normal. The figure turned to leave, and it was only then that James, Lily, Sirius and Remus got a look at his face.

"Oh, _shit,"_ muttered James.

And with a sickening spinning feeling, they returned to the present with a grinding halt.

**(Comments? Critiscisms? All it takes to spill your words is a simple click... on the little purple box!) **


	18. Through the Traitor's Eyes

**(A/N: Well, I have to say, everyday I post, I look forward to checking my emails more than any other day. Why? To read your reviews! (That is if I get any... oO) I love them so much- your comments are what make me keep writing this thing. **

**I was really surprised at the amount of people who thought of Peter. There are other potential Death Eaters running around Hogwarts, you know! D**

**This chapter is a bit weird, firstly because it screws around with your brain a lot. I also wrote it in about a day, so it might be a little weird. Sorry about that. But I'm going to try and answer some of your questions, because I've been a bit slack in that department...**

James'Gurl215:** The mystery drink spiker was... nah, actually just read the chapter. winks**

Phoenix Friend:** No, Harry won't kill Voldemort or save Lily and James, because it changes the future too much. A hell of a lot, actually ). I'm actually really annoyed at him. He should be getting his arse into gear. **

Elizabeth Evans, magnum-angel, babeephatangel, kawaii-konnichiwa, and everyone else who was annoyed with this : **Yes, I know, bad cliffhanger, BAD! But you'll know who the evil one is by the end of this chapter. **

Abbika-Rose-Writers: **Uh... thanks for that... lol**

CountessMel: **I appreciate your honesty, because I like to know what kinda things I can improve on (most likely everything), and what you like and what you don't. **

L.M. Robertson: **I know, sorry about the cliffy! But so far, we are... let me work it out... Holy crap it's only been three fictional nights (we're on the fourth at the moment!)! **

**Thanks to ALL OF MY REVIEWERS! I love you guys! hugs)**

PrincessSkywalkerOrgana:** Was that a direct jibe? Oh well, two more weeks and I'll be on holidays! Only for a fortnight though, but look forward to some faster updating.**

**Chapter Eighteen: Through the Traitor's Eyes**

* * *

"PETER!" yelled James. His fury was white with fury as he stormed up the boys' dormitory stairs. "GET YOUR RATTY LITTLE ARSE DOWN HERE!" 

Several Gryffindors had awakened- unsurprisingly, they were questioning their Head Boy's mental state due to the fact that he was screaming at the top of his lungs at one of his best friends, at around three in the morning.

"What's going on?" asked a second year, poking his head out of his dorm door.

"Mind your own business," said James seethingly, only to regret it a second later as he watched the boy's features droop. The second year stuck his head back in the dorm and James punched the wall nearest him in frustration.

Peter's head poked around the corner, as though waiting to see if James was going to hex him. It didn't matter whether or not James had his wand on him- the look on James' was enough to kill anyone from 100 feet.

Peter shrank back as though burned by the fire literally blazing in James' eyes.

"Sit," grumbled James, pointing to a chair. Peter, still looking exceptionally scared, walked slowly and quietly over to the chair, James' narrowed eyes watching him the entire way.

"Why the _hell'd_ you put the Tickle Paint in Sirius' drink?" hissed Remus. You could almost feel the heat coming off him.

"I can't believe you'd do that Peter," said Sirius, his voice shaking. "I thought we were _friends."_

"I- I didn't! I never did that! I wouldn't!" squeaked Peter, eyes rolling madly. "Please, believe me!"

"Why should we?" asked James coldly. "We saw you do it, Peter!"

"It wasn't me, I didn't do it!" cried Peter, frantically searching for a sympathetic face in the room, though none was found.

"What the hell is going on here?" asked Harry gruffly, squinting his eyes as he came into the bright light, wrapping a dressing gown around him.

"Peter spiked Sirius' drink," growled Remus.

"I didn't, I didn't!" repeated Peter, eyes bulging in their sockets.

"_What?" _cried Harry. While it was only he who knew the secret of Peter's future, he couldn't believe that rat had started so young. "You stupid piece of-"

"Harry, stow it," said James, just as Lily opened her mouth to reprimand her son, as usual.

"It wasn't me!" screamed Peter.

"Who was it then?" said Sirius angrily; looking as though he'd like to see Wormtail get out of this one.

"I- I don't know!" he squealed. "But I wasn't me, I wouldn't ever do that!"

"Who was it then?" asked Remus.

"I- They- It was- well... maybe they used the Polyjuice Potion!" blurted Wormtail, sweating profusely.

"Is there anyway to prove that?" asked James suddenly. "What evidence do you have?"

"I heard something... in the boys' restrooms in the Transfiguration Hall... Snape and... uh- Malfoy and Avery... they were planning to use the Tickle Paint at the party..."

"Well, why didn't you tell us then?" said Remus.

"Because, by the time I got to the Tower it had already happened!" said Peter, thinking fast.

"That's right, you were at your Mum's, right?" asked James.

"Yes, that's right!" Peter said, avoiding his eyes.

"Weren't you visiting your grandfather?" asked Sirius. "Maybe he was better too." He snorted sarcastically.

"Don't talk about my family like that!" snarled Peter viciously, and the others were momentarily taken aback by his rudeness.

"What's up your ass?' asked Harry waspishly.

"Look, I didn't do anyway!" yelled Peter. "It was Snape! Just ask him, I'm sure he'll admit to it. You know he hates us."

"Feel like a spot of tea, did we?" asked Kelly sardonically, appearing at the foot of the stairs with Gemma and Tammie, sleepy eyed and pyjama clothed.

"You guys might want to shut up a bit, half the House is awake and listening at the door," Tammie mentioned, and a giggle burst out of crack in the door.

"Go back to bed," called James to the door. Grumbling voices and footsteps were heard before a deafening silence fell back on to the assembled group.

"Peter... I honestly don't know to think," said James. "You've always been a great friend- until now."

"No, James, I still am! Please, believe me! It wasn't me! It was Snape!"

"Then why did you tell us that you were visting your sick grandfather that changed to your mum?" Sirius asked, frowning.

"Because it's true! My grandfather was sick, but... he died. My mother was overcome by grief and now she won't come out of her room. They were- were always really close." Said Peter, lowering his eyes. _Lies. All lies. My Master will be proud._

Lily sighed. "I'm sorry for your losses, Peter. Look, there's no way to settle this now. We certainly can't tell if it's true of not, so let's just get some sleep and wait until tomorrow."

"You're right," said Remus. "I'm going to bed." He, Sirius, Peter and Harry bade them all goodnight and walked up the staircase and out of sight. But not before Lily saw Sirius give Peter an oddly furtive look as he turned to the stairs.

Gemma saw it too, and she and Lily exchanged glances before turning back to the boys.

"Do you believe him?" Gemma quietly asked James, her blue eyes staring him down, as though she was checking for any signs of lying. She had known him since he was two, as their parents had both worked together at the Ministry. If anyone had a way of telling if James wasn't telling the truth, it was Gemma. They were practically brother and sister.

"I'm not sure," said James, meeting her gaze evenly. He sighed. "I just can't believe he would do anything like this."

"He- he looks a bit shifty to me, Dad," said Harry, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Lily frowned. "What was up with you back there? Don't you like Peter?"

Harry tried to make himself as casual as possible. _That bastard is the reason they'll die, _he thought to himself angrily. _And they're defending him!_ "No, I just couldn't believe he would do something like that, especially to one of his best friends," he said coolly.

James nodded in agreement and turned away from, staring out of the window into the inky black sky. Lily watched him, her eyes concentrated on the visible pain she could see along his brow.

Gemma saw this and smirked, nudging Harry as she pointed it out.

Harry smiled. _I wonder if they'll ever realize that they're perfect for each other? But then again... maybe we could speed along the process... _he cleared his throat and the others turned to face him.

"I might head off to bed too," he said, faking a yawn. "Mum, Dad- remember, you actually have to go to class tomorrow," he winked.

Lily's face broke into a small smile and she led James away from Gemma and Harry, through the portrait hole and into the corridor.

Gemma smiled at Harry, watching his expression as his eyes trailed on his parents' backs.

"You really love it here, don't you?' she asked him quietly. There was no one else around; not a sound to be heard except for their softly speaking voices and the occasional crackle of the burning firewood.

"I do," he said. "But I miss my other friends, you know?"

"Definitely," she replied. "If I knew I was going to be away from my best friends for four weeks, I'd miss them too."

"Yeah," he murmured, taking up James' role and staring out the window in front of them, but all the time peeking back at Gemma.

"Did you- do you... have a... girlfriend back home?" she asked him, blushing.

"No," he said, smiling slightly at the look on her face. "Last year, I dated someone- briefly- but it didn't work out. We were living in separate worlds. But- I kinda have my eye on someone this year..."

"You do?" she asked, disappointment flashing through her blue eyes. "Does- does she like you?"

"I'm not sure," he asked, blushing too, a smile now plastered on his face. "Does she?"

Gemma frowned, confused. "What do you- oh!" she gasped, comprehension dawning on her face. She blushed scarlet and and their eyes met. "I think so," she murmured.

He smiled and leant forward, all the while his eyes fixed upon her eyes. Gemma's blushing subsided, and their lips met; the lights of the common room dying down, plunging them into a darkness so complete that they were lost in each other until the dawn broke before them.

* * *

The next day, Harry and Gemma made their way down to breakfast at a time that both of them normally considered impossible. The sunlight had streamed through the window that only a few hours before had been blank with darkness; seeing as neither of them had bothered to return to their dormitories, they had proceeded to crash on the comfy lounges. Harry awoke in the bright sun, around 5:30 am, with Gemma asleep in his arms. 

Harry softly shook her awoke, and they had hurried to their dorms before anyone got any ideas. They met back in the common room five minutes later, and journeyed down to the Great Hall, hand in hand. While Harry, Gemma and a Ravenclaw were the only students eating, most of the staff were, and Harry swore he saw Dumbledore wink at him as he and Gemma entered.

They were soon joined by a disgruntled Lily and James, who appeared to be fighting over something, though Harry couldn't work out what. Sitting down on either side of Harry and Gemma, who were facing each other, Lily and James scowled at each other. But everyone knew there was guilt mixed in with the anger.

"What's up your butts this morning?" asked Sirius as he, Remus and Peter joined them.

_Right to the point as usual, _thought Harry with a grin.

"Nothing," said Lily and James together, glaring at each other again before returning to their food. Funnily enough, they both had a glass of pumpkin juice, a piece of toast with butter, a strip of bacon, two sausages and an egg each.

The unresolved conflicts between the Marauders hung a dark cloud over all of their heads, and before long people were going their separate ways to escape it. Harry walked Gemma to Transfiguration before heading back to the hall to join Lily, James, Sirius and Remus on the way to Charms.

"Welcome," cried the tiny Professor Flitwick as they entered. He tottled over and shook Harry's hand with an expression of rapture flooding his withered face.

"Our new student," he observed. "What's your name?"

"Harry Potter- I'm James' cousin," lied Harry.

"Enjoy the class then, Mr Potter; feel free to have an input!"

Harry sat in between Lily and James, with Sirius on James' other side and Remus next to Sirius.

"Today we will be learning the Telekinetic Charm. This will enable you to move things with your minds. Though it is an immensely complicated charm, you all made it to 7th Year NEWT Charms somehow, and I believe that with practise, you will all be able to perform it. Let's practise without wands first, please. Repeat after me:_ Minetic!"_

"_Minetic!" _mimicked the class and soon they were underway; objects flew around the room randomly and several times Harry was in danger of been knocked out by several of Sirius' rogue Gobstones' tins.

Much to Harry's surprise, and everyone else's, he mastered the charm quite quickly, second only to Lily, whom Harry had been told was as quick with a wand as Dumbledore had been in his day. He also gained control of the movement of Lily's Charms textbook quite easily. A great amount of concentration was required and they hobbled out of Charms with splitting headaches, using their break to journey to the hospital wing.

* * *

Peter glanced around him once or twice to make sure he was not going to be overheard. Snape, however had other ideas. 

"Hurry up, Pettigrew, I haven't got all day," spat Snape, and Peter turned back to him, beginning to speak in a strangled whisper.

"Well... last night I slipped a drug into Sirius Black's drink on the Dark Lord's orders-"

Snape nodded. Many actions were undertaken on behalf of the Master, but one hardly ever understood why.

"-So I did, but James found out, and I told him..."

"_What, _Pettigrew?" snapped Snape, dread filling him.

"I said that- that you had done it... that I heard you talking about it in the boy's toilet... that you and- and Malfoy and Avery were going to take Polyjuice Potion..." said Peter, positively trembling with fear.

"You- I can't- _Pettigrew!"_ thundered Snape, holding him at arm's length as though he was about to punch him.

"Let go of him!" shouted James, turning the corner suddenly with Sirius and Remus, his wand held steadily in front of him.

"Stay out of this, Potter," snarled Snape, drawing out his wand too.

"Let go of my friend first," said James, his voice becoming dangerously deep.

Snape let go of Peter and he turned to face James, with Malfoy and Avery who had just come around the corner behind him.

"So, Snape," asked Sirius, "was it you who spiked my drink?"

"Might have been," said Snape casually. "Not like you didn't deserve it anyway, Black."

Remus grabbed Sirius' arm to keep him from lunging at Snape.

"You stupid piece of-" snapped James, before Lily cut him off.

"James, don't be an idiot," she snapped at him.

"Yeah, James, do as your girlfriend says," said Avery, smiling sickeningly.

"Shut up, Avery," growled Remus, his own wand now extended.

James stared at Snape, never taking his eyes off him...

"What are you waiting for Potter? Too scared to throw a jinx at little old me?" whispered Snape, eyes narrowing maliciously.

Silence fell upon them, and James still kept his eyes on his adversary, his wand held steady in front of him...

"_Furnunculus!"_

"_Desaugeo!"_

"_Diffindo!"_

Curses were flying everywhere; Sirius had a gash on his cheek, and Remus sported one of his left forearm; James and Snape were firing curses at each other so quickly that all any of the 100 plus onlookers could see was a flash of light-

"What is going on here?" McGonagall cried, her voice cracking like a whip through the pandemonium before her. Sirius and Avery were tackling each other on the ground, Remus was in the middle of punching Malfoy and only James and Snape had stopped fighting, though this was mainly because the Professor had placed the Impediment Jinx on both of them. McGonagall then did the same to the other battles and when it wore off, began questioning them.

"What happened? What caused this disgusting behaviour?" she asked, but no one answered, their breathing still irregular and heavy.

"Fine then!" she snapped. "20 points each from your Houses, and be grateful it isn't more! Snape- Malfoy- Avery- Head of House- _go!"_

"You four," she said to James, Sirius, Lily and Remus, her thin nostrils flaring, "can come with me."


	19. Change of Heart

**(A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while, but I just want to say thankyou to everyone who reviewed 'Intermission', because it's been a big help for me. Special thanks to Miss Anonymous hp for your review- your honesty is very much appreciated. **

**Enjoy this chapter because I spent a lot of time on it, and not rushing it like I usually do. What do you think?**

**Before I go, I'd just want to tell you my good news: I received a letter the other day- these people want to publish one of my poems! I'm very excited . If you want to read it, head over to Fiction Press, and search for my username jellyjulie again. It's called 'The Darkness'. Keep reading fan fiction!)**

**Chapter Nineteen: Change of Heart**

James, Lily, Sirius and Remus walked slowly behind Professor McGonagall, their heads hanging and silence reigning. Lily glared at James' back through the entire journey.

_He's gone and done it again!_ She thought acidly. _The stupid idiot never knows when to stop._

"In," said McGonagall coldly as they reached her office. A musty smell hit them, making Lily feel sure that something had died in here a few centuries ago and had not yet been removed. She breathed in deeply through her mouth and followed James, Remus and Sirius, all of whom had to duck due to the low height of the door.

Once they were all seated in the warm, comfy chairs James conjured for them (to which McGonagall raised her thin eyebrows, and a sound like something of a snort passed her flared nostrils), the interrogations began.

"Alright," said McGonagall, her tone business-like and brisk, "who instigated this little duel?"

"Slytherins," said James, Sirius and Remus under their breaths, all at once. Lily sighed, knowing where this would go. She also happened to know for a fact that if James or Sirius had one more incident of corridor duels this year, they would both face immediate expulsion.

"Actually, I did, Professor," said Lily; though her heart was pounding a million miles an hour, she spoke as calmly and clearly as she could.

McGonagall blinked at her, astounded. James, Sirius and Remus turned to her simultaneously, their hearts celebrating behind their eyes.

"What do- how could you- why?" asked McGonagall, clearly at a loss for words. Lily shrugged carelessly.

"They deserved it," she said, and James gaped at her, before Sirius whacked him on the bottom of his chin, effectively closing his mouth. Not for long.

"Ow!" cried James. Sirius smirked at him and turned back to Lily, a fake expression of utmost attention plastered on his face. James just rolled his eyes.

McGonagall's lips were the thinnest any of them had ever seen; Sirius wondered vaguely if she had ever considered Collagen injections- Lily had told him they were quite big in the Muggle world.

"You'll all receive detention," McGonagall said. "I would never have expected such behaviour from students in my own House- including the two Head students!"

Lily hung her head in embarrassment and shame, though James studied her closely, and thought he saw the barest hint of a smile on her lips.

McGonagall was scribbling out notes to their respective professors, due to the fact that they had now missed the better half of their second class for the day. "Leave," snapped McGonagall. "And don't cause any more trouble!"

The four of them trudged out the door and into the deserted hallway. Walking slowly still, being careful to not look back and check if McGonagall was still watching them, they continued down the corridor at a reasonable pace until they rounded the first corner they came to. But then-

"I love you, Lily Evans!" said Sirius delightedly.

"We owe you," admitted Remus.

"To get away with just a detention too! She must like you," proclaimed Sirius.

James, however was silent. "I've got to get to class," he mumbled. And with that, he left, leaving Sirius, Lily and Remus standing alone in the deserted, wondering what on earth was going on.

The group rejoined at lunch, where Remus and Sirius filled everyone in on what had happened over the break. Their animated detailing of events, complete with demonstrations, captivated the entire Gryffindor table, and half of Ravenclaw too. In fact, everyone within the vicinity was so enraptured in the tale that nobody noticed that James was, in fact, missing.

"Hey, where's Dad?" Harry asked Remus in an undertone, as Sirius spouted just how he managed to tackle Avery to the ground, even as Avery raised his wand to curse him with Crucio-

"Sirius, shut up a bit," said Remus; Sirius, whose voice had now reached the noise level at which the entire Hall could hear the story, scowled and turned his back on them, now rejoicing in the fact that he had jinxed Avery with a spell of his own invention.

Lily looked over at Harry and Remus curiously, and seeing the troubled looks on their faces, joined them.

"Lily, have you seen James?" Remus enquired.

"No, I haven't," she said in surprise, only just realizing that she hadn't seen him since the meeting in McGonagall's office.

"I was just saying to Harry, I haven't either, and when he didn't show up to Herbology-"

"What? You knew he didn't go to class and you didn't say anything?" asked Harry disbelievingly.

"Well... I kind of- you know- forgot... I was going to say something, but Sirius got everyone so excited... and I- you know- forgot." Stuttered Remus.

"Look, I'm going to find him. Tell Professor Harrow I'll be late, would you?" said Lily matter-of-fact-ly.

"But Mum, you don't even know where he is," said Harry weakly, knowing that she wouldn't change her mind anyway. _Hermione is exactly the same_,he thought amusedly.

Lily, as predicted, just waved and left, her long hair swinging behind her as she marched determinedly out of the Great Hall.

James sat silently, staring out of the window. In front of him lay the unseen side of Hogwarts: abandoned greenhouses could be spotted, many of there windows broken; far in the distance, mountain peaks stood; trees surrounded the ground's edges, and over to the left a bit, was what he now knew to be Kriston Hall.

He had been coming to the deserted tower for years now, ever since he had stumbled across during his first jaunt with his Invisibility Cloak. He felt very at peace with himself here; it was his breathing space; it was where he came to think. His magic was more in tune here. It was where he had transformed, for the very first time, into Prongs.

He always sat in the window, and though there was no glass in them, the temperature in the room was just right, all the time- winter or summer.

James turned his head sharply at the sound of footsteps heading down the corridor beyond the door to the room. He grabbed up the Cloak and threw it quickly over himself, disappearing into the background behind him as the door swung open.

It was Lily.

She looked on the verge of hysterics. She looked quickly around the room, her eyes darting from corner to corner, before she called out to the figuratively empty room.

"James? Are you in here?" she choked out in a panicked whisper. _"James!"_ When he didn't appear, she sighed and turned to leave.

He sighed heavily trying to ignore her obvious discomfort. It didn't work.

"Lily."

Her hand was on the doorknob already, but at the sound of her name, she turned abruptly to see James standing in the middle of the room, Invisibility Cloak draped over one arm.

"James," she said nervously, obviously thinking about their conversation the night before.

"What- what is this place?" Lily asked him, evidently stalling for time.

"Just an old tower," mumbled James, running a hand through his hair, shrugging. "It's kind of dilapidated now. No one really comes up here but me."

"It's beautiful," she breathed, looking out on to the back side of their school. A soft wind breezed through the windows, rippling through her fiery hair.

James scowled. "Look, is there something you wanted? Because I'd rather be left alone at the moment."

Lily turned to him; hurt mingling with sorrow in her emerald eyes. "I- I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You didn't mean it, I know that." James turned away from and sat back down at the window.

"But I still said it," she said walking over to him. Her eyes were slowly filling with tears.

"You're forgiven," he told her, emotion lacking from both his expression and tone.

"You hurt me too, you know," Lily said quietly. "I never meant for it to get that far. Never."

"It's been done, it's happened, it's finished. We can't change that. Just forget it."

"But we can still accept it, James."

"Lily, last night was never meant to happen. End of story."

"It may be the end your story James, but it's not for me. Just- just listen to what I have to say. Promise me you'll listen."

He stopped staring out the window and faced her. "I promise," he said softly.

Lily sat in the window, facing James. "Last night, I- I was very confused. We were both tired. It was a long day. You haven't been the same lately either. I know," she said hurriedly, as he opened his mouth to interject, "you're going through a rough time at the moment, but it's not just that, James. You're changing. You're more mature."

He stared at her for a moment, blinking slowly, comprehending what she had said. However, he did not speak, and she took as a motion to continue.

"So- so last night, when I told you that... that I didn't care about you... in that _way_... I didn't mean for it to sound so... so _harsh_-"

"So you meant it then?" James interrupted, his hazel eyes blazing.

"Well... yes- _no!_ Oh... I don't know..." she trailed off miserably. "Everything is so mixed up right now."

"Yeah."

She looked at him, her eyes shining through his, seeing the pain hidden behind their dense colour.

"James, I-"

"Just go, Lily."

"But-"

"_Go." _

She looked him square in the eye once more, willing him to open up.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, a tear streaking down her perfect face; she made no attempt to wipe it away. She walked through the door and left without looking back.

James hunched over, shivering in the cold air of the room; he pulled the Cloak tight around him, creating a ghostly effect on his body. It was the first time in seven years that he had ever felt cold in the tower.

Harry stood with Gemma, Sirius and Remus, waiting to enter their next class: NEWT level Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry wondered why he was so nervous, though he thought he partly knew. _You're only worried because you don't want to look like a dunce,_ he told himself. _Just don't worry about it, you'll be fine_.

He breathed deeply to calm himself as the class entered inside. There weren't many people who hadn't transgressed to the class; in fact, including Lily and James, there were only 11 people in class now that he had joined.

Once they were all seated, their teacher, Professor Harrow, walked up the middle of the room and to the front.

He clapped his hands for silence and grinned at them all. "Today, we will be having... a dueling tournament."

His announcement was met with furious cheers and clapping, Sirius, Remus and a Ravenclaw boy Harry did not know (though he looked a bit familiar) began talking enthusiastically.

"Before we begin, let me lay down the ground rules. One- Absolutely no physical contact or damaging spells of any kind. The aim is to disarm your opponent, not hurt them. Two- Names will be picked out a hat to choose our fighters. If anyone opposes these rules, leave now."

No one moved. Sirius' face was glowing with excitement as Harrow chose the first two names from the hat- the Sorting Hat.

"Our first two opponents are- Michael Mendoza- and... Harry Potter."

Gemma squeezed his hand softly as Harry stood; he made his way to the front, his heart hammering a tattoo onto his Adam's Apple. Mendoza, a Slytherin with a build of slightly less bulk than Hagrid, glared at him as they took their stances.

"Wands at the ready," said Harrow.

Harry used one of his old ticks that never let him down during school duels and DA meetings- stare them down.

"One... two... three!" shouted Harrow.

Mendoza shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Harry gripped his wand tightly, still staring at Mendoza. "Protego!" he cried, and Mendoza's burst of light bounced away from him, hitting Mendoza. The Slytherin's wand flew out of his hand and into Harry's.

"Our first winner is Harry Potter!" cried Harrow excitedly. From what Harry had heard about him, he had been quite the dueling champion when he was younger, and was always encouraging his students to partake in dueling activities.

Flushed with victory, Harry walked back to his seat as the class clapped. The next pair drawn out of the hat was Gemma and a red-haired Ravenclaw girl by the name of Amelia Petrel. Gemma walked up the front, her wand held steady at her side. Their duel lasted longer than Harry's, but it was far more fierce, as the girls tried to find their opponents' weak spot. Gemma finally managed to obtain Amelia's wand by casting a 'diffindo' to split Amelia's shield spell and then the disarming spell straight after.

As Gemma came and sat back down, a disgruntled Lily entered the room. After apologizing profusely to Harrow, she sat down, only to stand once more to duel a Hufflepuff boy. She lost spectacularly.

"Something's wrong with Lily," Gemma muttered to him as Lily threw herself down at her desk, sulking.

"How do you know?" he asked her curiously.

"Because there's no way Gideon Prewett could have beaten her in a duel otherwise. And she would never be sulking like this; Lily always plays fairly."

Harry looked over at his mother, who seemed to be lost in her own little world. "I'll talk to her after class," he promised Gemma.

The next duelers were Remus and the Ravenclaw boy who Sirius and Remus had talked to before. The Ravenclaw won easily. His speed and agility were unmatched by Remus, who seemed to prefer defensive strategies rather than attacking.

Sirius battled another Hufflepuff, Alice Grand, and won. Harry fought against Gideon Prewett next. He used the Telekinetic Charm to obtain Spencer's wand. Harrow was particularly impressed.

"Good thinking Potter," he told Harry, clapping his wrinkled hands together. "It's been five years since any student in my class has used that spell for this activity. Good work."

Gemma fought the Ravenclaw next, who won once more. He used diversionary tactics to distract Gemma, and then disarmed her while she was occupied.

Sirius and Harry dueled. Harry was not so sure how to go about this, as he found it hard to fight those he cared for. In the end, Harry dodged all of Sirius' disarming charms (thanks to his Quidditch reflexes), and disarmed him with a quick "Expelliarmus!"

Harrow organized the front of the class into a stage for the final duel. After transfiguring a desk into a stage, the class gathered around and Harry and the Ravenclaw took their respective sides.

"Potter, Longbottom; bow," called Harrow. Harry's eyes widened in amazement. This must be Neville's dad. He now realised were he knew him from; Moody had shown him the picture of the Order of the Phoenix last year, and Frank Longbottom had been in it.

Harry faced Frank and bored slowly, not taking his eyes of him for a second- after all, this was a duel. They each walked fives paces and stopped, turning to face each other again.

"One... two... three!" cried Harrow. Harry ducked Frank's first jet of light and stood again.

"Expelliarmus!" yelled Harry.

"Protego!" said Frank, effectively blocking it.

Harry dodged his own spell and was about respond when it happened.

A tingling sensation crept through his wand arm; it reached his torso and a light began to shine from his whole body. Harry stared down at his wand, and after realizing vaguely what he was supposed to be doing, shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Instead of flying towards him like it should of, Frank's wand flew into the air as Frank was blasted off his feet. The wand hovered for a moment, before disintegrating into a pile of ashes.

Alice Grand ran forward towards Frank, who groaned massively and sat up. He reached out for his wand, only to discover that it did not exist anymore.

Harry was in a state of shock. "Sorry about that," he mumbled to Frank nervously. "I'll- I'll buy you a new one!"

Frank just laughed as Alice pulled him to his feet. "Don't worry about it," he said, smiling. "It was my Dad's and it didn't suit me properly anyway."

Harry was complacent. "I'm still buying you a new one," he told him stubbornly.

"Thanks," said Frank, shaking his hand. "That was a massive display of power though, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, fine."

Harrow ambled over quickly, assessing a cut on Frank's forehead. "Off to the hospital wing then, Longbottom. Grand- you go with him." Alice blushed and accompanied Frank out of the classroom.

Harrow handed Harry a block of chocolate, his prize for winning. "Good job, Potter," he said.

"Thanks," replied Harry, taking the chocolate. It was honeycomb, one of his favourite flavours. He looked back up Harrow in time to see the Professor give him a weird look.

"Class dismissed," said Harrow, and they left for dinner.


	20. Promises and Heartbreaks

**(A/N: I know, I know, I'm sorry! I feel like I've really been neglecting this fic, but I have a good reason... and it goes by the name of _'The Girl in the Tower'_. If you only read a single fanfic in your life, READ THIS ONE. It made me cry. It's fantastic. Please, please read it. It takes about a month to read, though!**

**Many people have asked about Harrow and the look he gave Harry, and I hope I'll have that all cleared upby the next installment of _Clockworks_, as this chapter is kind of weird. **

**However, there are several things I want to point out to readers:**

**Severus-Snape-Rog: While I appreciate your honesty, please bear in mind that this is my first fic and I am still trying to establish myself and my skills as a writer.**

**Cecelia Orechio: I love your reviews, because you always write so much! Thanks for the bit about the poem. You made me smile! **3

**There seems to be a lot of people opposing to Harry and Gemma's relationship. If you disagree with this romance, I'm sorry to tell you it won't change, but the outcome... well, you'll see. **

**Here it is! And sorry about the delay again!)**

**Chapter Twenty: Promises and Heartbreaks**

James wasn't at dinner that night. Lily became frustrated and worried once more, as well as everyone else at the table. Knowing that she was probably the only one who knew about the tower, she excused herself early from dinner, much to the bewilderment of Harry and the others. She was so wrapped in her thoughts about James that she hardly noted the absence of Professor Dumbledore.

She walked silently through the deserted halls, meeting no one but the ghost of the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw, though she did not stop to chat. She finally reached the tower where it was located on the eighth floor, and swung the door open with a violent force.

"James Potter, you're going to come downstairs _right_ now, and stop sulking, or I'll-"

But she was speaking to an empty room. James wasn't there.

"Talk _off _that stupid Cloak!" she yelled, the room rushing before her. She felt terribly dizzy. "James, please!"

He didn't appear and she deduced to the fact that he probably wasn't there, no matter how much she didn't want to believe it. Choking back tears, she hurled herself into the corridor and down four flights of stairs, through a hidden passage way behind a painting of Merlin and down a shadow-flooded hallway until she reached her destination- Dumbledore's office.

Tears were pouring down her face by now, and the wall before her was spinning as she gasped out the password. She took the stairs two at a time, much to the protest of her aching head and burst through the unlocked door, without bothering to knock.

"Professor, it's James, I can't find him, and-" Lily looked at her Professor who was holding up a hand.

"Miss Evans, please calm yourself," he said, handing her a tissue. "Mr Potter is perfectly fine."

"How do you know?" she asked him. Dumbledore pointed behind her and she whirled around, almost flaying the young man standing behind her.

"_James!"_ she cried, hugging him fiercely. He patted her back awkwardly, and she blushed leaping away from him as she realised what she was doing.

"Uh... I mean," she stuttered, "I'm glad you're okay."

He smiled softly and she noticed his eyes were slightly red and puffy. She glanced at him curiously, her eyes wanting answers, but he just turned back to Dumbledore once more.

"As I was just saying to Mr Potter before you- uh- dropped by, Miss Evans," began Dumbledore.

"Yeah... sorry about that," said Lily, laughing as she wiped away the last traces of tears from her face.

"That's quite alright. Now like I was saying, Mr Black will also be joining us at my home at the end of the school year. All three of you are welcome to stay for as long as you like, and you will be free to come and go as you wish."

Lily and James smiled with happiness.

"We really appreciate what you're doing for us, Professor. All of us, including Sirius," said James, extending a hand. Dumbledore stood to face them and they shook, their faces solemn yet happy.

Dumbledore turned to her, smiling humbly; when he extended his hand to her, however, she looked at once, before embracing her headmaster-come-guardian. Dumbledore's eyes opened in surprise before her hugged her back. They pulled away and she kissed his cheek, smiling at him kindly. Her head was still pounding and she still felt slightly sick, but she shook her head and it cleared a bit.

"Would one of you please tell your son that I wish to see him tomorrow morning after breakfast?" said Dumbledore as they sat down again.

"Sure, what's it about?" asked Lily curiously.

"Nothing of any importance, my dear. Just make sure he gets the message," he said knowingly.

Lily nodded, knowing she wouldn't get any further details. "I will, Professor."

"That's good," said Dumbledore, resting his chin on his hands. "I have delegated the next three evenings to your preparation of Kriston Hall. If you wish to take some friends with you each, that would be most acceptable."

"Oh, right," said Lily, remembering. "What time will we be leaving?"

"Just after dinner, I believe. Professor McGonagall has the full details- she will escort you to the Hall and back each night."

James and Lily exited soon after, making their way slowly through a hidden passage on their way to their common room.

"Lily," said James, stopping so suddenly that Lily crashed into him and tumbled to the floor.

"Oof! Sorry," mumbled Lily as he hauled her back up. She stumbled a bit, the dizziness affecting her balance; she felt his hands wrap around hers and she glanced at him curiously, but he didn't let go.

He kept his gaze trained into her stunning emerald eyes and spoke as sincerely as he could. "Lily..." he said again, "I'm sorry about lunch... I was just- kind of upset... I'm sorry if I hurt you..."

"James," she said, smiling slightly, "you don't have to apologise; you're going through a rough time and I was just making it worse for you, and-"

"Lily," he whispered, "forget about it." He smiled at her, his eyes never leaving hers. She smiled too, her eyes searching for the hidden truth behind his eyes. He was leaning forward... closer... closer...

* * *

Harry looked at Gemma as she stared serenely above her. They were perched high above the lake, sitting atop the roof of the astronomy tower, watching the night stars.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, as though she was afraid she might scare them away.

"I know," Harry replied as they lay together, her head against his shoulder.

"Do you ever wonder why we have stars?" she asked him, tracing a pattern on to his chest.

Harry was rather taken aback by the question. "I'm not sure," he said, baffled. "I guess everyone would sometimes. Do you?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I wonder why we have them when they do absolutely no good for the world. Like- like _Voldemort_."

Harry was surprised again; before he knew she had tears leaking out of her eyes, dropping off the bridge of her nose and onto the shoulder of his robe. He pulled her into him tightly as her sobs grew louder and louder, shaking her whole body, almost rhythmically.

"I'm- just... _so _scared, Harry," she whispered. "Ev-everyday there's more attacks... I- I couldn't handle it if... if you or Lily or anyone I knew... _died."_

Her words left a shiver in his system; pretending it was the cold, he wrapped the cloak around them, covering their bodies completely.

"Don't worry," he smiled. "I'm not going anywhere. Yet."

Though she winced slightly at the sentiment in his words, she leaned up, kissing him softly. His hand caressed her cheek as they lay there, bathed in the moonlight, their skin leaving trails of fire against each others. It was a few seconds before Harry spoke again.

"I love you."

* * *

Back in the Gryffindor common room, anticipations for the ball were growing stronger and stronger. Some of the students were considering posing protest to the Muggle-suited fashion code, but these were mainly the boys. The girls, already having discussed where and how they could find the perfect ball dress, were now onto the subject of dates. Girls in younger years, some with absolutely no experience in the dating game, winked flirtatiously at the boys across the room in hope of landing a date for the ball nest Friday night (it was Thursday today). However, many of the first year boys looked either disgusted or confused; some thinking the girl may have something in their eye.

Kelly, Tammie, Remus, Sirius and Peter sat in the armchairs near the fire. Four of them were having a light-hearted chat- Peter, however, was engrossed in a book, the title of which he kept hidden from the others discretely.

Being seventh-years, these chairs close to the warm fire were always open to them, and they had first right to them.

"We waited six years for these spots," smiled Tammie, here eyes alight in the glow of the fire.

"And it was totally worth it," laughed Kelly, sinking back into her chair.

"What's with all these love-mad first years, hey?" asked Remus, frowning at a girl who had just sent a pink angel to a boy now blushing madly as his friends teased him incessantly.

"I think the ball's hyping them up," muttered Sirius.

"Yeah- imagine how upset they'll be when Lily and James tell them the ball's for sixth- and seventh-years only," said Kelly, smiling slightly.

"Oh well, at least we'll have a good ball," laughed Tammie.

"James said that it's not going to be at the school this year," mentioned Remus.

"Oh, that's right- something about a hall somewhere," said Sirius.

"Nice to see you listen, Sirius," giggled Kelly. "Lily said that it's going to be at Kriston Hall, on the other side of the castle. She said Dumbledore had his ball there."

"Yeah," agreed Tammie, "and she also said we had to help clean it up."

"Oh, that's no problem," scoffed Sirius, "a bit of magic and we're out of there."

"Ah, but you know Lily- she'll want to do it the Muggle way," said Remus glumly.

"Spot on," agreed Kelly. "She said that it will 'make the finished product more worthwhile'."

"Great," growled Sirius loudly, causing Peter look up from his book.

"There is a bright side, though," announced Tammie. "We get to wear Muggle clothes, instead of those boring dress robes." She and Kelly smiled dreamily at the idea of a beautiful new dress.

All three boys groaned simultaneously at the idea of wearing a tux.

"Oh, please no, for Merlin's sake," muttered Remus.

"What's wrong with that?" said Kelly, frowning at him.

"Nothing, if you want to be totally uncomfortable for the entire night!" cried Sirius, throwing up his hands as though it was completely obvious.

"Still, if it'll help us get dates..." said Peter, trailing off miserably.

Sirius snorted. "I'll have no problem getting a date," he said cockily.

The others rolled their eyes, half-annoyed at his arrogance, half-annoyed because it was probably true. The girls were usually lining up for James or Sirius whenever a ball or big social event was around the corner. While Remus was given pretty much the same amount of attention by the opposite sex, he was much more reserved about it, unlike Sirius. James in the past had been as cocky as Sirius, but had matured a lot over the summer, losing his arrogant-streak.

"Oh, shut up Sirius," said Kelly, whacking him around the head playfully.

He grinned, pushing his hair out of his face. "Well, it's true," he laughed, and there was a round of moans while Sirius was the receiver of many hits and slaps until he finally put his hands in surrender.

"Who are you going with, Remus?" Tammie asked him after they'd all calmed down.

He smiled at the thought. "Chloe Summers, from Hufflepuff, I asked her today. She's really nice and smart."

Tammie and Kelly smiled but Sirius interrupted. "Yeah, and she's completely gorgeous!"

Remus blushed slightly and Kelly, luckily for him, changed the subject. "Well who ware you going to go with Sirius?"

"I've actually got my eye on a girl from Ravenclaw, Courtney Daniels," he said nonchalantly.

"I don't know her," said Tammie, frowning. "What does she look like?"

"You don't know her because she's new," Sirius told her. "She actually looks a bit like you- she's got blonde hair with curls but her eyes are green."

"Oh, I know her," Kelly nodded. "She's Australian, right?"

"Yeah, just moved here at the start of the term. Don't you remember her getting sorted into Ravenclaw? We were mocking her about being too tall for a first year or something lame like that," laughed Sirius.

"When are you going to ask her, then?" asked Remus.

"I don't know, sometime this week," muttered Sirius. "Who you are two going with?"

"John Godsel," Kelly muttered shyly.

Tammie screamed and whacked her on the arm. "Oh my God! You've liked him for ages! Did you ask him?"

"No, he asked me," said Kelly, blushing madly. "And thanks for just screaming it out for the whole common room to hear!"

Tammie waved this aside, eager for more details. "When did he ask you? What did he say? Was it on Tuesday? Hang on- why didn't you tell me?"

Kelly's eyes widened at her friend's mix of hyperactivity and investigative state of mind.

"Uh- slow down, Tam," she said. "He asked me today, which is why I'm only telling you now. It was after Transfiguration yesterday. And believe or not, he said: 'Would you like to go to the ball with me, Kelly'?"

Tammie laughed, but the boys were still looking slightly confused at this.

"Is John that really smart one who's friends with Frank?" asked Remus. The Marauders were quite good friends with Frank, thanks to their Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, but they didn't know many of his mates all that well, as none of them were in the class- except for Alice, the girl Frank had a crush on for years, and was planning to ask to the ball. Sirius thought that Frank was better off just asking Alice to marry him- the two weren't even going out and yet the entire school could see how perfect they were for each other.

"I think you mean him, yeah," said Kelly. "He's tall and he's got brown hair and hazel-gold eyes." She smiled dreamily at the thought, and the others looked at each other, trying not to laugh.

"And what about you, Tammie?" asked Sirius.

"Well, I'm not sure yet-" she began, before being interrupted as the portrait hole swung open, banging against the wall behind it. Lily tumbled in clumsily, her eyes swimming with tears, unfocused. James fell in after her, the both of them yelling.

"NO!" cried Lily, causing the whole common room to turn and stare, though neither James nor Lily noticed.

"NO WHAT, LILY? STOP SCREWING ME AROUND LIKE THIS!" yelled James, his eyes on fire.

"LEAVE ME ALONE, THEN!" she retorted, a hand on her stomach as she screamed at him.

"OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" roared James. The entire common room was quiet now. Even the Fat Lady's protests had died down. "IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT YOU, ISN'T IT? YOU'RE ALWAYS RIGHT! YOU PLAY WITH MY FEELINGS AND THEN RIP THEM APART AND SKIP ALL OVER THEM! STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU'RE THE GOOD GIRL!"

Lily blinked, a dazed expression appearing on her features. "James... that's not true." Her eyes half-closed and she swayed on the spot, her knees buckling, until she was flat on the carpet, knowing no more.


	21. In Sickness and In Health

**(A/N: This has taken so incredibly long, and I'm really sorry- writer's block has gotten to me! However, it seems like I have a few lurkers! I'm proud to say that I now have 81 people on Author Alert for my fic, which pretty much astounds me- you guys are awesome. I never thought I'd receive this much encouragement; thank you so much! Special thanks to my great reader of the moment, K.C., who left a really nice comment for me on my reviews.**

**I've completely forgotten what day it is in my wizarding world, so here's what's happening- Lily falls on the Thursday … if I'm wrong, someone please give me a yell!**

**Let's get on with it, shall we?)**

**Chapter Twenty-one: In Sickness and In Health**

* * *

The common room fell silent as Lily lay motionless on the floor. Kelly and Tammie both instinctively brought their hands to their mouths as their best friend lay before them. Silence reigned for several seconds until James regained his senses- the first to do so.

"Lily…" he said, walking over to her slowly. Her eyes were shut as the common stared at the scene. "Lily!" he said, louder this time; he shook her wrist vigorously. Her skin was cold as ice and he brushed a red tendril of hair from her pale skin. Lily did not move.

"I'm going to get McGonagall," said someone near the staircase, shuffling towards the portrait hole. James suddenly returned to his sentences, shaking himself from his stupor.

"No, it's ok, I'll take her," he said, scooping Lily's limp body into his arms. He carried her, hero-like, towards the portrait hole, with Kelly, Sirius, Tammie, Remus and Peter following about ten feet behind. However, when they stepped through the portrait hole, the others could not see James nor Lily anywhere.

"Where'd they go?" asked Sirius, bewildered; he ran a hand through his shaggy hair and looked around dismissively.

Kelly looked livid as she glanced around furiously. "Oh, this is just so _typical_ of James!" she burst out. "Lily could be d-dying and he's just run off with her! He'll probably try to shag her while he's got the chance!"

"How can you _say_ that?!" yelled Sirius, wheeling round to her. "James would _never_ hurt Lily! Never!"

"Then explain where he's gone!" she cried, throwing her hands up. Tears were leaking out of her chocolate brown eyes and she looked on the verge of hysteria.

Remus stepped in between the fighting pair before Sirius could open his mouth to retort. "Look, Kelly, we don't know where James has gone," he began in a soothing tone. "But we've known him for a very long time- long enough to know that when it comes to Lily, he's not going to do anything stupid. However much as he denies it, you can see it in his eyes- he loves her."

His statement was met with a resounding silence that echoed through the empty corridors. Kelly mumbled a quick sorry to Sirius, who smiled softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"She'll be fine," he insisted. "Now let's go find McGonagall."

* * *

_BANG!_

James felt his feet collide with the floor at a force he couldn't imagine. His knees buckled beneath him and he struggled to maintain his grip on Lily. A scream sounded from far away, though James couldn't place its owner.

The room around him was swirling and he couldn't see which room it was; he held tight onto Lily as the swirling lessened slightly. Someone was in front of him now- he could feel them standing there, looking down worriedly.

"It's ok, Mr Potter," the voice said quietly. "Just let Miss Evans go so I can help you both."

James didn't relinquish his grip on Lily and the person pulled away. His vision cleared slightly, and in the dim light he recognized the hospital wing spread out before him. His glasses were cracked in three places and his right knee was throbbing painfully.

"Wh-what happened?" he croaked, shaking his head in an attempt to clear the fog.

The person who had spoken earlier moved towards him again with a large vial of potion in hand; James realized it was Madam Pomfrey.

"I have no idea, but it seems you managed to apparate yourself here, Mr Potter," she said, shaking her as though she couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. "Now please, allow me to care for Miss Evans properly."

James looked down and saw with a start that Lily was still on his lap, curled into him like a cat. He couldn't help but smile and obligingly lifting Lily onto the bed next to him, much to the protest of his aching knee.

A flash of fire erupted before James and he recoiled slightly at the heat. A second later, Professor Dumbledore and Fawkes stood in its place, staring down at James.

"Well, James, I'm impressed," said Dumbledore as he helped James onto the bed nearest Lily's. Madam Pomfrey was fussing over Lily's wilted body, doing several tests. James dragged his eyes from Lily at Dumbledore's statement.

"What do you mean?" asked James, massaging his knee lightly, frowning at Dumbledore.

"You've managed to somehow transport yourself from the Gryffindor tower corridor to the Hospital Wing in just under five seconds," Dumbledore said, smiling softly.

"_What?" _said James disbelievingly. "But- but you can't apparate in Hogwarts!"

"I never said that, Mr Potter," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "Do you _know_ how to apparate?"

James nodded glumly, preparing himself for a reprimand for his illegal hobbies. However, Dumbledore merely laughed. "I should have known."

James grinned weakly and continued, "but that still doesn't explain how I got here … "

Dumbledore frowned slightly. "Right you are. It seems that the strength of emotion may have heightened you powers, allowing you to transport yourself and Miss Evans as-"

"Albus!" cried Madam Pomfrey. She motioned him frantically over to where Lily lay, devoid of motion, and James' heart started beating frantically.

"What? What's wrong with her?" he cried, limping over to the bed. Dumbledore grabbed his arm, holding him steady, and helped him back to the bed.

"Please stay here, Mr Potter," he said quietly. "Miss Evans needs all the medical attention she can get and you must stay out of Madam Pomfrey's way." He walked back to Lily's bed, where Madam Pomfrey was checking Lily's vital stats, drawing the curtain closed around the bed.

James lay back on to his bed, his breathing sharp and erratic. _What have I done to her? We were just fighting and then she fell … This is all my fault!_

He clenched his eyes shut tightly, concentrating on the voices filtering out from the next cubicle …

"She's not well at all, Albus," whispered Madam Pomfrey. "Her heartbeat is very weak and she's not responding to any of my potions or spells."

James heard Dumbledore shuffling around for a few seconds before the man answered. "I think Miss Evans may be suffering from severe exhaustion," he said quietly. "She's been extremely worn out these last few days ... I think the most we can do for her is let her rest. She's a strong girl. Lily will be fine."

James sighed with relief as Madam Pomfrey walked out of Lily's cubicle and over to him. She pulled the curtains shut around his bed and dropped a pair of plain white hospital pyjamas on the bed for him.

"Change into these, please," she said, bustling around with some potion on the table next to him, "and then drink this. It's a sleeping potion."

"Can I see Lily?" he asked Madam Pomfrey, toppling off the bed so suddenly his injured knee gave out from beneath him. Dumbledore caught him as he walked into the cubicle and helped James back on to the bed for the second time.

"In the morning, James," smiled Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall has notified your friends of yours and Miss Evans' whereabouts.

"Thankyou, Sir," smiled James.

"Not a problem, Mr Potter. Poppy, will please check his knee for damage?"

Madam Pomfrey bustled over, examining James' leg for a few minutes before announcing he had slight tendon damage thanks to his fall and mended it with a wave of her wand. James thanked her and, when she and Dumbledore were gone, changed into his pyjamas, drank his purple potion, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

James felt a slight tickling on his neck as he awoke the next morning, though he kept his eyes firmly shut to block out the sun filtering through the windows. _Where the hell am I? And what's on my neck?_

His neck tickled again and he heard a soft giggle from somewhere above him. He scratched his neck instinctively and opened his eyes, seeing a mass of red hair above him.

"Lily!" he cried, hugging her to him.

She giggled and hugged him back, kissing him softly on the cheek. His face burned and he saw Dumbledore sitting in the corner of his cubicle too; he immediately let Lily go. She sat back down next to him on the bed, and he struggled to a sitting position, leaning back into his pillows.

"Good morning, Mr Potter," smiled Dumbledore. Lily and James greeted him as well and they each helped themselves to some of the breakfast the house elves had supplied for them.

"Now, Miss Evans," began Dumbledore, "how are you feeling this morning?"

"Fine, fine," she smiled. "Just a bit tired."

James was amazed that Lily had greeted so warmly after their fight the night before, but he didn't question it. "Good," smiled James. "We were worried about you."

Lily smiled back at him, though James thought he sensed a bit of coldness in her eyes. He dismissed and turned back to Dumbledore.

"James, I'd like you and Harry to come to my office today during your lunch break," said Dumbledore.

"Ok … " said James, slightly confused.

"And now, you two, I think it's time for school," Dumbledore laughed. "Have fun."

James and Lily finished their breakfast and walked out after waving goodbye to their headmaster. The second they were out the door, however-

_Smack!_

Lily had slapped James around the face with all the strength she could muster.

"What the hell?!" cried James, bringing a hand to his burning cheek.

Lily scowled at him, folding her arms. "Don't you _ever_ talk to me again like you did last night," she said, her voice seething with anger. Her green eyes burned into him like fire. Then she turned on her heel and left.

"Looks like she didn't forget much, Prongs," said a voice. Sirius grinned as he walked around the corner on his left with Remus, Harry and Peter. He tucked the Marauder's Map into his back pocket, winking at James, infuriating him further.

James scowled. "What the hell is her problem?"

"Dad, don't worry," said Harry, walking over to him. "Gemma said that she was going to find out a few things from Mum- apparently she's been pretty quiet this week- so maybe then we'll know."

"Yeah, don't worry Prongs," said Remus.

"Girls are crazy things anyway," announced Sirius, clapping James on the shoulder. "We're not meant to understand the way they think."

The other guys nodded their agreement and then the five of them set off to their respective classes. James, Harry, Remus and Sirius had NEWT level Potions while Peter was off to Intermediate Charms. When they arrived at Potions, Gemma, Kelly and Lily were sitting off to one side of the room, talking in low voices. Lily looked quite upset but she glared at James as he entered, while James did his best to ignore her, seating himself at a table on the opposite side of the classroom. Harry, Sirius and Remus sat with him, though James did not participate in their conversations once.

The lesson went fairly quickly; the teacher, Professor Reynolds (who, like Snape, was head of Slytherin House and favoured them heavily), set them to taking notes on the Draught of the Living Dead and several poisons, focusing heavily on their counter potions.

After a quick break, Gemma, Harry, Lily and James headed for Ancient Runes while Remus and Kelly went to Arithmancy and Sirius, Tammie and Peter made their way down to Care of Magical Creatures.

Although Harry had never once been in an Ancient Runes class, he found it strangely familiar, with some of the markings reminding him of Muggle Tarot cards that he had seen once on a television documentary. He surprised himself as he even managed to answer some of the textbook questions on _eihwaz._

"I thought you didn't take Ancient Runes, Harry?" Gemma asked him as he finished writing an entire paragraph on the rune.

"I didn't," he assured her. "I've probably just heard my friend Hermione talking about it."

James and Lily didn't look at each other once during the entire lesson, and managed to sit as far apart from each other as humanly possible. They only spoke when asked question by the Ancient Runes professor.

When lunch finally dawned on the four teens, Harry and James journeyed on to Dumbledore's office while Lily and Gemma continued on to lunch as normal. James and Harry walked in a stony silence, each silently contemplating the occasion of their visit.

They continued up the stone steps to Dumbledore's office, and arrived at the stone gargoyle. James said the password ("Acid pops!") and they entered sullenly.

"Good afternoon, Mr Potter and Mr Potter," said the professor, grinning slightly as the two took their seats at his desk.

"Good afternoon," answered Harry and James cordially.

"If you wouldn't mind waiting, Harry, I'd like to speak with James first," said Dumbledore.

Harry nodded. "Of course. I'll be outside."

As he shuffled out the door, James felt a sudden feeling or foreboding. _Why does he want to speak to me on his own? I've been really good lately! Well … except for that duel …_ James shifted uncomfortably in his seat as a sudden heat rose around his neck. He pulled at his tie and glanced around hopefully for an escape route.

"James, I wanted to talk to you about this last night, but it hardly seemed an appropriate time … "

_Oh, damn. Here we go. _

"Your sudden arrival in the hospital wing last night was astounding to both myself and Madam Pomfrey-"

James almost sighed with relief. Almost.

"-and, as I was explaining last night, you produced a large display of power. When mixed with your strong emotions last night, it allowed you to transport yourself and Miss Evans to the care she needed."

James nodded. He didn't know what else to do.

"This power, though not apparition, was quite similar in its properties," explained Dumbledore. "And therefore, I would just like to ask that you never do it again, as I would be most embarrassed if you saw me in my pyjamas."

James laughed softly, as did Dumbledore.

"And now, from what I have heard, you and Miss Evans had quite a fight last night," said Dumbledore, looking at James down his crooked nose.

James felt the heat rise again, and tugged his tie once more. "Uh- yeah, we did … "

Dumbledore chuckled. "Teenagers and their hormones," he smiled, and James blushed slightly. His parents had always said this to James, and while it embarrassed him at the time, his heart twinged at the thought that he'd never hear them say it again.

Dumbledore must have noticed the sadness in his eyes, because he didn't press the subject any further and allowed James to escape to lunch.

Harry walked towards his father, who looked slightly shaken as he walked out of Dumbledore's office.

"What did he say?" Harry asked him quietly.

James just shook his head, muttered, "I'll tell you later," and disappeared off in a direction quite opposite of the route to the Great Hall. Harry frowned slightly but made his way into the office, taking a seat once more.

Harry and Dumbledore greeted one another once more before Dumbledore rested his chin of his steepled fingers, looking at Harry. Harry felt like he was being x-rayed by those deep eyes that saw right through him.

"Harry, I have been speaking to Professor Harrow about your performance in his classroom duel yesterday," began the headmaster. "It seems you displayed the extent of your power against Mr Longbottom, not unsimilar to your defeat of the Dementor sent here by Voldemort."

_So that's what this is about, _mused Harry as he sat in his comfortable chair. Fawkes fluttered on to his knee and Harry absentmindedly stroked his gold and scarlet plumage, thinking.

"You know, Professor, I thought that might have been it," Harry said thoughtfully. "It's like what you said that the Dementor was here about my powers being stronger because of Mum and Dad, isn't it?"

Dumbledore looked almost taken aback at his statement. "Why, yes it is, Harry," said the old man, surprised at his intelligence. "And I just thought you might be wondering about Professor Harrow."

Harry laughed. "He did look a bit shocked yesterday."

"He was indeed," smiled Dumbledore. "I've talked with him about your duel and he understands. He also said to ignore the 'weird look' he gave you yesterday, but he didn't expand on the subject, so I guess that will remain between you and him."

"Thankyou, Sir," said Harry, nodding. "This explains a lot."

Dumbledore sighed, looking at him. "And Harry, please try to forge some understanding between your parents- Merlin knows they're made for each other."

"And they're the only ones too stubborn to see it."

* * *

Lily and Gemma sat on Lily's four poster bed in the Head's common room, with four locking spells on the door and a silencing charm around the room. When they had gone down to the Great Hall for lunch, Lily had taken one look at the crowd and burst into tears. Silently, Gemma took her hand and whisked her up to her room before anyone saw the Head Girl in a meltdown. Using the fire in the Head's common room, she'd asked the house elves for a jug of pumpkin juice and two bowls of chicken noodle soup with a bread roll each. However, when the food arrived, Lily shook her head at the pumpkin juice and ran to get a can of Coke from the kitchen cupboard.

When they were finally settled, Lily's tears had dried up and Gemma sighed.

"Lils, what's wrong?"

Lily took a deep breath. "James," she said quietly.

"What?"

"I said _James,"_ snapped Lily. Gemma looked hurt and Lily cringed. "Oh- I'm sorry," she said. "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at him."

Gemma nodded, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "What's been happening with you guys these last few days? I've hardly seen you at all, Lils. And you gave us all a real shock last night."

"I know," sighed Lily. "Everything's so mixed up."

"Lily, you've got to tell someone. You'll explode if you don't."

Lily nodded. And she began to tell Gemma everything.

* * *

Somewhere on the other side of the castle, James Potter sat in his favourite windowsill. It bothered him that someone now had knowledge of his whereabouts whenever he decided to 'go missing' and escape everything. Especially because it was Lily who knew.

He couldn't believe she'd played him like that. Just toyed with his feelings, before literally slapping them back in his face. And all because he'd tried to kiss her!

"Women," he muttered. His Dad had always told him they were impossible, and now James knew why.

He rather wished he didn't.

* * *

Lily breathed deeply. "A few nights ago, James and I had a fight," she said. "There's not much unusual about that, I know, but it was our first major one since Harry's been here. We'd actually been getting on pretty well … we were almost friends.

"Well, as you can imagine, we were both pretty angry and … and we both said some stupid things. That was why we weren't speaking Thursday morning. Then, after the fight with Snape- hang on, do you know about that?"

Gemma laughed quietly. "Who hasn't heard? Sirius made sure of that."

Lily smiled softly. "That's right. While that was happening, I went to find James, and when I did, we managed to have _another_ fight, and that's why I was late to Defence.

"So, James was missing for a long time, so I went to look for him again … but I couldn't find him, so I went to Dumbledore's. James was there, and by this time I was feeling slightly sick, but … I hugged. On my own impulse." She made a face of disgust. "Anyway, after we left Dumbledore's, we were walking through a secret passageway and we were just talking, when I feel down, and he helped me up. He apologized about our fight at lunch, and then … he tried to kiss me." She blushed as red as her fiery soft curls.

Gemma looked at her suspiciously. "What do you mean, 'tried'?"

"Well … he leaned in, and just before he could … reach, I pulled away," said Lily, glowing madly red.

"Oh, Lils." Gemma looked at her sympathetically. "No wonder you're in such a bind. But you shouldn't have let James go that far."

"What?!" asked Lily angrily. "I wasn't doing _anything _wrong!"

"Lily, you let him get his hopes up," explained Gemma, "and then you backed out at the last second. That's what happened this morning, too, isn't it?"

Lily nodded slowly, tears forming in her eyes. "I've was toying with him," she said slowly. "I can't believe I did that."

"Lily, this isn't like you," said Gemma, looking her straight in the eye. "You're usually one of the nicest people I know. How could you do that to James? He's my friend too … I don't want either of you hurt. You need to sort this out."

Lily felt guilt flood through her at Gemma's words and knew her friend was right. "But what do I do?" She whispered. "I've screwed this up badly. And Harry … he'll be so upset … I have to talk to James, don't I?"

"Yes, you do," said Gemma. "No one's forcing you Lily, but make sure you do whatever's right in your heart."

Lily nodded. "Maybe I should let him cool off for a bit," she mused. "He's probably still angry … I don't want to do or say something I'll regret."

"Lily, you'll be fine. Just go with your gut instinct." A long way away, a bell rang throughout the castle, signaling the end of lunch. The girls hurriedly finished their soup and drinks and cleared everything away.

On the way to the Gryffindor tower to collect Gemma's books before NEWT Transfiguration, Lily saw James. She opened her mouth to speak to him, but he glared at her and stalked off.

"You were right about him needing some time, Lils," said Gemma as they entered through the portrait hole. "He looks a bit annoyed."

"That's an understatement," sighed Lily, and they made their way to Transfiguration.

* * *

**If I haven't cleared things up properly, give me a shout and I'll get back to you! And I'm sorry this took so long, again!**


	22. Kriston Hall

**(Guys … reviews really do make me write faster. : P)**

**Chapter Twenty-two: Kriston Hall**

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* * *

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"Tammie, pass me that paint tin, will you?" said Lily as she perched precariously on a floating ladder. Tammie handed her the half-full tin and Lily leant down to grab it, the ladder swaying precariously as she did so.

"Up!" commanded Lily. As she floated higher towards the ceiling, James and Sirius painted a wall at the far end of Kriston Hall.

"This sucks," muttered Sirius to James, who nodded in agreement. It was Saturday night and Lily, Tammie, James, Rachel, Kelly, Remus, Harry and Gemma were all pitching in to help clean up Kriston Hall for their ball the coming week (Peter was at his mother's again).

"I can't believe Evans is making us clean up this entire place without magic," grumbled James as Remus walked over and joined them. He had gone back to referring to Lily with her surname, and she had done the same. They hadn't spoken to each other yet.

"And paint it," said Remus, flicking white paint haphazardly onto the walls. Quite a boring colour, in his opinion, if you could even call it a colour.

Friday night has seen both Lily and her friends, and the Marauders, being dropped off at the Hall to begin their cleaning for the Ball. _Assault was more like it,_ thought James. As Tammie and Kelly had predicted, Lily had insisted they clean it the 'Muggle way'. They had scrubbed, washed, bleached and sprayed until James thought his arms would drop off. Then, after trouping off to bed the night before at around 1:30 am, they had returned tonight at 7:30 pm to begin the painting.

Harry and Gemma were painting the west wall, in between James, Sirius and Remus and Lily, Tammie and Kelly. They had covered around two-thirds of the wall and were occasionally flicking each other with paint.

It was around 11:30 pm when James looked over at Gemma and Harry in a mini paint-fight. After watching for a moment, he smirked and began whispering a plan to Sirius, who smirked in turn and whispered to Remus.

Then, as quietly as possible, James grabbed the Cloak out from underneath his jumper and the three of them covered themselves with it.

* * *

"What kind of music do you think we should have, Lils?" asked Kelly as they three girls stood painting, although none were on a ladder anymore. 

"Well, we're having a Muggle style ball, aren't we? So maybe we should have Muggle music?" suggested Lily, and the other nodded enthusiastically. "In fact, I think I've got some with me … I'll try charming my CD player this week against Hogwarts' technology ban or whatever it is."

"Sounds good," smiled Tammie. "You'll have to play us some of those songs you're always going on about."

Lily smiled, thinking of her favourite songs. She missed being able to hear them- even on her last summer holidays, her miserable aunt had forbidden her to play them.

"Have you guys got a dress yet?" Lily asked her friends, pulling the paint brush up and down rhythmically in front of her.

"I'm planning on shopping tomorrow, because we have that extra Hogsmeade day, remember?" said Kelly, also painting.

"Oh, that's right," Tammie said. "I'll come with you, I'd almost forgotten we even had to get dresses!"

"What about you, Lily?" asked Kelly, moving further down the wall. Lily heard a floor board squeak somewhere behind her but when she checked, there was no one there. She shrugged it off and went back to painting.

"Oh, I was just-" began Lily, before a large amount of paint splashed onto her. She screamed loudly, as did Tammie and Kelly when they received the same treatment. Lily whirled around to see James, Sirius and Remus, all barely standing as they were laughing so hard.

"Nice look, Evans," croaked Sirius, wiping a fake tear from his eye. James was clutching his stomach and laughing so hard he was doubled-over. Lily swatted some falling paint from her forehead impatiently and silently picked up her almost full paint tin, holding it casually, but concealed, behind her back.

She walked towards James and he stood up abruptly, looking almost scared of her. He eyed her warily as she stood in front of him.

"James, it's ok," she said.

"It is?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, I get it," she assured him, smiling softly.

"You do?" he asked.

"You were trying to get your own back, because you're angry at me, weren't you?" Lily said, eyeing him. He nodded reluctantly and she held out her hand. "Truce?" she said, smiling innocently.

He eyed her once more before sticking out his hand too. "Truce," he agreed.

"That's great." They shook and Lily shifted the weight of the can behind her slightly.

"What's that?" asked James cautiously.

"Oh, nothing," she said, smiling once more, the picture of innocence. He turned to walk away.

"Oh, and James?" she called.

He turned. "What?"

"This." She threw the paint at him, covering him from head to toe. Gemma, Tammie and Kelly all burst out laughing, as did Remus, Harry and Sirius, though they did their best to hide it.

"Nice one, Evans," said Sirius, holding onto Remus' shoulder and shaking with laughter.

"Thanks," said Lily, before sloshing the rest of the paint over him. Sirius' eyes went wide with shock as he too copped a mouthful.

He grabbed the nearest bucket, holding it ready to throw at her. "You ready for it, Evans?"

It was on.

Sirius chucked the paint at her, but, quick as a flash, Lily had her wand out and rebounded the paint back at him. He looked more shell shocked than ever and she giggled at him.

"No magic!" he sputtered.

"Who ever said anything about that?" she quipped, skipping past him and conjuring another tin.

Meanwhile, Remus, Tammie and Kelly were throwing paint about, mostly missing each other and hitting the floor (which was luckily protected from any paint 'spills' with a repellent charm McGonagall had placed on it the night before, meaning all paint could be wiped off with a simple counter-charm). Harry and Gemma ran over and joined in the fun. Remus and Harry joined forces against the girls, using their magic to create balls of paint that exploded on impact.

Sirius ran past at full speed, obviously hoping to out-run Lily who had a full tin of paint and was gaining on him from behind. James was crouched down on the ground in front of Sirius, and when his friend passed, dumped his tin of paint on him. Sirius slipped on the paint, fell to the ground, and got even more paint on him then before. Lily caught up and dropped her paint on him, before slipping over too and landing on top of Sirius.

"Ow!" he complained. Lily giggled and slid off him, flicking paint from the ground at James. James stood up to get her back but slipped over too; the paint tin he'd been carrying slipped out of his hand, flew into the air and came crashing back down- straight on to Sirius' head.

"_Shit!" _cried James, and the other looked up from their paint fight. They ran over as James and Lily bent over Sirius'.

"He's out cold," said Lily, feeling for his pulse. "But he's breathing and his heart's still beating."

James sighed with relief. "Good … but we probably should get him to the hospital wing … "

Harry nodded from above. "Here, I'll help you move him."

"What on _earth_ is going on here?" cried Professor McGonagall, looking around the paint soaked Hall in horror.

James groaned. "Great timing there," he said sullenly.

"This cannot be happening," muttered Lily, resting Sirius' head in her lap. A red lump was already beginning to show.

McGonagall marched over. "Well?" she asked, her nostrils flaring with anger. "Somebody explain to me!"

Gemma shifted her weight from foot to foot, brushing her paint-filled her out the way. "You see, Professor, we were just painting, and then, well … James, here … he _accidentally _spilled some paint on Lily … and then Lily, uh … she turned around, and _accidentally_ spilled paint on James … and then-"

"Miss Morredale, no matter how old I am, I am no fool," said McGonagall. "You know as well as I do what happened here."

"Yes, Professor," they all mumbled guiltily.

"Professor Dumbledore has trusted you, and you should respect that trust, not throw it around," she said, with an eyebrow raised. She looked down at the huddled group.

"Yes, Professor," they said again. She sighed.

"You will start again tomorrow," she declared. She waved her wand, and the paint was gone. However, the entire Hall was as dirty and dusty as it had ever been. They groaned simultaneously.

She levitated Sirius and then conjured a stretcher for him. The bump was now more pronounced than ever.

"I am taking Mr Black up to the castle," she announced. "While there will be no punishment for any of you, please bear in mind that the weight of this Ball falls on all of you, not just the Head Girl and Boy, and several prominent Ministry members will be attending, so please keep the decorations tasteful." She looked at the remaining boys sternly. "I will back in twenty minutes to escort you back to the castle. Do _not_ leave before I come to get you."

They nodded in turn, and with a final reproachful glare, McGonagall turned on her heel and left, with Sirius floating in front of her.

They took one look at each other, all coated in paint, and burst out laughing.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius awoke in the Hospital Wing, his head still quite sore. After a quick breakfast, in which Madam Pomfrey informed him that he could be experiencing a few pains in his heads for the next couple of days, and to keep away from brooms or any sport for at least a week, he headed down to the Great Hall, where he found the Marauders, minus Peter, eating breakfast. 

He sat down next to them, slapping James around the head as he did so.

"Ow, Padfoot!" cried James as he dropped his knife as fork with a clatter. He rubbed the back of his head and retrieved his utensils from the floor.

"Just sharing the love, Prongsie-boy," Sirius replied with a grin.

"Oh yeah … sorry about that mate," said James. He grimaced at sore red bump on Sirius' head.

"Hurt much?" asked Harry, who they now officially considered a Marauder.

"A bit," said Sirius casually, sipping some pumpkin juice. "Pomfrey said I can't do _any_ physical activity for a _week._"

"That's sucks, Padfoot," agreed Remus.

James looked down at his watch. "It's 9:30. Want to go to Hogsmeade?"

They nodded their agreement and the four boys left for the tiny village.

* * *

"Wasn't last night fun, guys?" asked Tammie, as she, Lily, Kelly and Gemma walked through the Hogwarts gates and down the road to Hogsmeade. 

"Yeah," laughed Gemma. "It took me two hours to find the right spell to get the paint out of my hair, though!"

"I know," laughed Kelly, "and it took me another hour to convince you to tell me what it is!"

"Sometimes, you have to learn these things for yourself!" Gemma quipped.

Kelly tossed her blonde hair over one shoulder impatiently and said, "I'll start tomorrow then!"

Lily and Tammie laughed as they reached the entrance to the village. Since they were shopping for Muggle ball dresses, Lily led the way to the only store which stocked the attire they were seeking- a boutique named _Leanna's._

"It's gorgeous!" said Tammie as they stood outside, looking through the windows. It appeared to be quite high-class, and, quite expensive.

"These dresses … are so _beautiful,"_ smiled Kelly as they walked in. She ran her fingers across the fabric of a dress near where they were standing and sighed. "And to think we almost wore dress robes!"

The others laughed and they started browsing. Lily found many beautiful dresses, one after the other, each as gorgeous as the next. However, she didn't find any that she knew were … _right._ Lily knew that when she did find the right dress, she'd know … but for now, she went along with the rest of her friends and tried on a few.

The first she tried on was a strapless black dress that fell to the floor. She looked herself over in the mirror a few times- noting that it brought out her good figure but not much else- before Gemma called out and asked them to show off the dresses they had on.

When she stepped out of her cubicle, the first thing Lily noticed was Tammie's dress. It was black, strapless and … exactly the same as Lily's. They both started laughing.

"I don't think this one's for me," said Lily, shaking her head but smiling. Tammie laughed.

"Me either," she smiled. "To tell you the truth, black doesn't do much for either of us."

Gemma and Kelly, who had also appeared from their changing rooms, agreed. Then Lily and Tammie surveyed Gemma and Kelly's dresses.

Gemma had a halter-necked dress on. It was pale pink in colour and it fell softly just past her knees. It was a chiffon dress, with a few layers, as the fabric was quite sheer.

"It's great, Gem," said Tammie, looking her outfit up and down.

"I like the cut, but the colour doesn't bring out your eyes enough," noted Lily.

"I thought so too," sighed Gemma. "I love the colour but it's just not right for me, you know?"

The others agreed and Lily asked, "Don't you want a floor length one?"

"No, I'd trip over it for sure!" laughed Gemma. "I'm safest with a shorter one."

Kelly's dress was typically gorgeous. In the Muggle world, her parents were fashion designers of their own company, and Kelly always had the most high-fashion clothes available. Her style was a refined elegance compared to the other girls, and it showed in her dress.

It was a classic black dress, falling to the floor and spreading out a little at the back. The dress was backless and high halter-necked at the font, with a knee high split at the front right-hand side.

"Oh my God," gasped Lily as she saw her friend. "You look about twenty-one years old!"

Kelly grinned and Gemma motioned to her to twirl. Kelly did so, spinning around like a ballerina, and they all laughed.

"Buy it," said Tammie immediately.

"Why aren't you getting something your parents designed?" asked Gemma.

"I don't want to wear their stuff _all_ the time … " said Kelly, shrugging. "Besides, I saw this, and I really loved it, so I thought, why not?"

After inspecting Kelly's dress, Lily, Tammie and Gemma tried on more dresses, while Kelly sat waiting outside. Lily tried on what felt like a hundred dresses, but they all agreed that none of them were right for her.

Meanwhile, Tammie found a lavender-coloured strapless dress. She'd also decided that she wanted to change her eye colour to a soft blue using a spell she'd found the other day.

"The dress will make the eye colour stand out more," she explained. "Besides, I've been wanting to change them for a while I now- I just needed the right spell."

Gemma had found a midnight blue wrap dress with frilled edges. Because the wrap, the sides were lower than the middle and it had slight split. It fell to her knees and the arms finished just above her elbows.

"You look stunning, Gem," said Kelly, smiling. It was true. Besides Lily, Gemma was the prettiest girl in their year, with her striking turquoise and dark chocolate hair. Her skin was always perfect and unblemished. She always had her choice of boyfriends, but she never one to 'play the field', preferring guys she felt comfortable with.

"Thanks," blushed Gemma. "I think I'll get this one, what do you guys think?"

"Definitely," smiled Lily. "And there's no chance you'll trip over this one!"

They laughed and Gemma and Tammie went off to pay for their dresses (Kelly had already bought hers).

"What about you, Lils?" Kelly asked her as they sat waiting for the other girls to come back. "Which dress are you getting?"

"Oh, I'm not sure yet," said Lily, frowning slightly. "I couldn't find that was just … _right_, you know?"

Kelly nodded. "You can always tell straight away, can't you?" she laughed. "It's either right or it's not."

Lily smiled. "Exactly."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find something soon," Kelly assured. "Or I could ask my parents to make something up for you? You know they love you."

Lily laughed, remembering how Kelly's parents had fussed over her when she'd stayed at Kelly's in during 5th year, even though they'd hardly ever been at home.

"No, it's ok," she said. "I'll get something eventually!"

They made their way out of the shop and across the road to the Three Broomsticks. Harry, James, Sirius and Remus were all sitting around a booth towards the back, talking over a few butterbeers. Lily was surprised to see they'd accumulated a couple of shopping bags from Blah- they'd obviously got their suits for the ball.

Harry spotted Gemma and came over to them, kissing Gemma and hugging Lily quickly. He dragged the girls over to the boys' table, where Lily and James stared at each other, unsure of how to react.

"Hi," Lily said plainly to the group at large.

They all chorused greetings and the girls sat down in the booth with the guys. Awkwardness settled over them momentarily before Tammie brought up the subject of the ball. Immediately, the boys started grumbling.

"I can't believe how uncomfortable these things are!" Sirius cried, referring to their suits. "It itches everywhere!"

"Relax, Sirius, you only have to wear it for one night," Tammie reminded him.

"Not when I'm older! Then I'll have to wear them all the time!" He then proceeded to rant about their impracticality and how they were useless things really, they didn't even look that good on and by the time he'd need to wear it again he'd have grown out of it …

"I'm going to get some drinks," announced Lily. "Who wants one?" Everyone nodded and she stood up, counting heads and headed off to the bar.

"Hello," she said happily to Madam Rosmerta, who looked over and broke into a smile.

"Lily!" Madam Rosmerta cried, smiling at her over the bar. "How are you, my dear?"

"I'm pretty good," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she answered. "Dumbledore told me you'd been made Head Girl up at the school. Congratulations!"

"Thank you," said Lily, blushing slightly.

"So, what it'll be, Lily?" she asked, grabbing out a few glass.

"Eight butterbeers, please," said Lily.

As Madam Rosmerta busied herself with the glasses, Lily felt someone sit down next to her. James was there, looking at his hands.

"Lily … can- can I talk to you for a moment?" he mumbled, fiddling with his shirt.

"Sure," said Lily, turning to face him. "I need to say something to you to."

"Ok," he said, looking a bit shocked. "Well, you go first then."

"Oh … well, you see … about Friday," she began, and he bristled slightly at the mention. She hesitated, before plowing on, "what I mean is … I didn't really consider your feelings, and I'm sorry about that. I- I don't really know why I did it. I guess you're pretty angry at me right now, and you have a right to be … but … will you forgive me? I'm really sorry. You're a great friend and I don't want to lose that friendship … and I guess you have to forgive me because we've got to get married somehow."

James laughed slightly and Lily bit her lip, desperately hoping for him to forgive her. He was silent for a long time before he finally spoke, his voice soft and altogether quite calm.

"I'm sorry too," said James, giving her a small smile. "Yelling at you like that on Thursday was … stupid on my behalf. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. Will _you _forgiveme?"

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. "Will you forgive me?"

"Yes," he said, laughing. They shook hands and Lily felt something stir in stomach. She shook it away and they walked back to the bar, occasionally smiling at each other.

"Here you are, my dears," said Madam Rosmerta happily, pushing the drinks forward.

Lily pushed a couple of coins forward but Madam Rosmerta shook her head, waving her hand away.

"My shout," said the bar owner. Lily grinned and James helped her carry the drinks back to the booth where their friends were sitting. Apparently, Sirius was complaining about his tux, and they had moved on to other topics- namely Quidditch.

The girls weren't really participating in this conversation, and so they were just listening instead to the boy bantering on about their favourite teams. As Lily sat down next again, she felt a tug on her arm, and looked up to see Kelly smiling at her.

"Looks like you two just steered yourself out of marriage counseling," smirked Kelly, and Lily laughed.

"It's so weird," mused Lily. "I just keep thinking that there's no way I could ever marry James … but then again, it has to happen doesn't it?"

"Don't ask me," laughed Kelly. "Harry's the expert!"

Lily shook her head, and noticed the others were raising their glasses in a toast to their seventh year. As they clinked their glasses together, Lily looked at Jams suddenly. He was smiling at her softly, and she smiled back, though she did not entirely know why.

* * *

Later that night, after a quick dinner in the Head's common room, Lily, Kelly, Tammie, Gemma, Harry, James, Sirius and Remus stood around in the empty- and dusty- Kriston Hall. 

"Well, let's get started then," said Lily briskly, and the others groaned, pulling out cleaning supplies and walking towards the ladders at the side of the Hall.

"What are you doing?" she asked them, and they stopped what they were doing to stare at her. She whipped out her wand and muttered, _"Scourgio!" _Kriston Hall was cleaner than it had been the night before. Also, decently-painted walls seemed to have been sitting under all that grime, ridding them of the need to re-paint.

"Merlin!" cried Sirius, looking around. "This place looks as good as new." They all murmured their agreement and got to work on the decorations. Tammie and Remus even managed to unearth a chandelier from one of the side cupboards and expertly levitated it high above the centre of the room. They worked in groups of two at each of the four ends of the Hall and had the entire place decorated by 12:00 am. Even McGonagall was impressed.

"Very well done," she said to the group, even passing a rare smile. They traipsed back to the school, dirty and tired but happy to have finished. Now all Lily had to worry about was finding a dress.

When they arrived back in their dorm, Lily and James bade each other goodnight and went their separate ways rather quickly, as both were eager for sleep. Lily, however, couldn't ever sleep when she felt dirty, and so decided to relax in her huge bath tub for a while.

As she lay back in the bubbles and breathed in vanilla scented air, Lily closed her eyes and smiled. She felt as though a large weight had been lifted from her now that she'd made up with James. She hated grudges as she could never seem to hold them herself. After a while in the water, Lily was almost dozing off, thanks to the warmth of the room and the smell.

Suddenly … the door creaked open and shut with a loud crack, and Lily open her eyes quickly to find …

"_Shit!"_ cried James, whirling around. Lily half-screamed and immediately ducked lower under the bubbles.

"What are you _doing_ in here?" she yelled at his back, and he started to turn around to answer.

"My shower-" he started, turning.

"_Don't _turn around!" she shrieked, trying to cover herself up, but the bubbles were too thick to see anything anyway.

"Oh, sorry," said James sheepishly, with his back firmly to her.

"Pass me a towel, please," said Lily more calmly, and he did so, with his back still to her. "Shut your eyes," she commanded, stepping out of the bath and wrapping herself firming in the towel.

"It's ok, James, you can turn around now." Lily grinned slightly as he peeked slowly over his shoulder before turning around fully, smiling at her.

"Uh, yeah … sorry about that," he said, blushing slightly. "I guess I should've knocked, hey?"

"Well, it's not like I usually have midnight baths, so I guess it's not your fault, depending on why you were coming in here … "

"My shower broke," he apologized. Lily finally noticed that the only thing he was wearing was a towel around his lower half, revealing his muscles gained from hours of Quidditch practise. She stole her gaze away from them to see him smiling at her slightly, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"So, uh, go ahead, use mine," said Lily. James thanked her and walked over and turned the showing on, but did not get on. Lily sat on the edge of the bath, thinking about what had just happened.

"Lils?" said James. "Earth to Lily … Lily?" he finally got her attention and she looked up, confused.

"Uh … did you want to leave?" She understood what he'd said and felt her face go hot as fire. "Or you could join me if you want," joked James, winking at her.

She managed a small laugh and got up, taking her hair out of its loose bun and letting in fall down her back. "I'll have to decline tonight, Mr Potter," she said formally, but grinning at him. She swept out of the door, one long leg after the other, feeling James' eyes on her the whole way.

A few minutes later, she lay in bed, her long hair splashed along the pillows behind her. She listened to James in the shower, heard the rhythmic beating of the water on to the tiles, and thought once more about everything that had happened that day. As she drifted off into a deep sleep, she did not hear the shower turn off, or her door creak open; she did not feel a small kiss be placed on her forehead as she dreamed.


	23. Indecision

**(A/N: In this chapter, Lily and James are very on-off as friends. They're unsure of their feelings towards each other at the moment and they're also feeling a pressure to be together, mainly due to Harry's arrival. So, it's all very confusing, and I just wanted to tell you guys not to be surprised if they're close one second, then biting each other's heads off the next. **

**Also, please excuse any geographical inaccuracies in London or surrounds. I'm an Aussie, as you may well know!)**

**Chapter Twenty-three: Indecision**

* * *

James awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and invigorated after his late night shower, though he cringed slightly at the memory. He stretched as he hopped out of bed, ruffled his hair and checked the clock beside his bed- 9.30 am. He yawned and made his way out to the living room where he spotted a book Lily had been reading in the last few days; he picked it up, sat on the lounge and promptly fell deep within the story for the next half hour. 

Lily stumbled out of her room at 10:00, her hair a mess and wearing only a tank top with pyjama pants. She groaned when she saw him and he smirked at her disheveled state.

"Late night, huh?" said James, putting the book down and walking towards the counter where Lily was standing.

"Oh, shut up," moaned Lily. "I'm _so_ tired." She grabbed herself and James a glass of water and they sat down on the balcony, enjoying the weather. Just after they sat down, a tawny brown owl fluttered over to them, a letter tied to it left leg.

"Who are you after?" Lily asked it as it mounted on the railing spread around them. When it didn't make a move towards either of them, James reached forward and untied the letter.

_Dear James,_

_The date for your parent's funeral has been set for Tuesday morning. You will be excused from all classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and you may bring along some friends if you like. Please see me in my office this afternoon at 3:00 pm._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Dumbledore_

He handed it to Lily in silence and she read it as he contemplated the letter. Lily let out a small sigh as she finished reading it, before she handed it back to him.

"James?" she said softly, bringing him back down to earth. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Just thinking."

"I remember going to my parents' funeral," Lily recalled. "I hated it. I cried all day and people kept coming up to me to say how sorry they were. But all could think was that none it made any difference. My parents were gone and they weren't coming back."

James nodded, still somber and reflective. He frowned momentarily as he looked at the letter before glancing up at Lily.

"Will you come?" he asked her suddenly.

"What?" said Lily, looking almost panicked. "Oh, James, I don't know-"

"Please, Lily," he begged her. "You're the only one who knows what it's like. Dumbledore said I could bring friends. I want you to be there."

Lily swallowed and nodded reluctantly. "Who else are you going to take?"

"Sirius, for sure. They were almost like his mum and dad too."

Lily smiled softly, remembering how Sirius had gone about James' parents when they were younger and still friends. She was glad that they'd become close again. The Marauders really weren't that bad when they'd grown up.

They finished a brunch on the balcony and talked for awhile before James went back to Lily's book and Lily made her way to the seventh-year girls' dorm in Gryffindor tower. When she arrived, she pushed the door open quietly to discover the only awake was Kelly.

"Oh, hi," smiled Kelly when she noticed Lily. She patted the bed, motioning for Lily to sit down beside her. "You look a bit shaken. Is anything wrong?"

Lily had just about forgotten her friend's almost psychic ability to read Lily's moods. It was almost unnerving how dead-on she was.

"Yes, actually," admitted Lily, as she sat down on the four-poster. "James just asked me to go with him to his parents' funeral."

"Oh," said Kelly slowly, frowning slightly. "What did you say?"

"I said I'd go, though I'm not entirely sure why," said Lily, fidgeting with the bedspread. "I haven't been to a funeral or anything since … since my parents' funeral."

Lily was silent for a long time after. Kelly sat with her, with one arm over Lily's shoulder. It was only after Kelly felt the side of her t-shirt become damp that she realised Lily was silently sobbing. Wordlessly, she turned around and hugged Lily, who started to cry harder. Kelly had never heard Lily talk about her parent's deaths.

"It was my fault, you know," sniffled Lily. "Voldemort only killed them because of me. If I wasn't a witch, they wouldn't- they wouldn't be dead."

"Oh, Lily honey, that's not true," Kelly said soothingly, hugging her tighter. "He did it because he's a spineless, disgusting, sickening … _creature._ You can't even call him a man."

Lily just continued to cry. Soon, both Gemma and Tammie were awake, confused looks crossing both their faces as they saw Lily and Kelly on the bed. Kelly put a finger to her lips and lifted her arm. Lily, it transpired, had fallen to sleep. Kelly smiled softly and gently lay Lily down on her unmade bed. Then the other girls crept out of the dorm and off to breakfast.

* * *

The day passed without incident. The Marauders and Harry made their way down to the Quidditch pitch just as Gemma, Tammie and Kelly finished breakfast, and then spent the rest of the day out there. The girls, including Lily, who eventually awoke after a relaxing sleep, ended up staying in the Head's common room for the afternoon, just sitting, talking and eating in front of the fire. It was colder that day than it had been the entire time Harry had been there. At about three, it started to drizzle slightly, and by four it was pouring down with rain. Lightning flashed in the sky and thunder rumbled deafeningly. Soon after the storm began, The Marauders trudged inside, wet, dirty, and thoroughly exhausted. 

"_Never_ again, Prongs," said a thoroughly disgruntled Sirius as they walked in. "Not once." He threw his broom down beside the door and the others followed suit. He walked to the couch and flopped down beside Tammie.

"Never again what?" asked Kelly curiously as the guys settled themselves on bean bags, cushions and the couch.

"Nothing, nothing," said James, waving it aside, "just a harmless little game of Quidditch in the rain."

"The _pouring_ rain," corrected Sirius.

"And the lightning," added Remus.

"And the thunder," mentioned Peter.

"Don't forget the gale force winds!" said Harry sarcastically, as he and Gemma sat together.

"So, the conditions were a little bad," said James. "They're harmless!"

"Sure, if harmless means the tail of your broom getting hit by lightning and catching fire!" yelled Sirius, throwing up his hands.

"What!" Lily cried, eyebrows raised in shock. She glared at James accusingly and he narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"He was kidding!" declared James angrily. "Why at you annoyed at _me_ anyway? I can't control the weather!"

"You're right, said Lily softly, admitting defeat. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," said James snootily, looking away. Harry rolled his eyes to Gemma and she giggled. Sirius got up and walked over to the cupboard, helping himself to a packet of Wiz Crisps, before sharing them around.

"What are we all getting up to tonight?" asked Remus as they lay back in front of the fire.

"Absolutely nothing," groaned Lily. She still felt exhausted and was planning on an early sleep.

"Do we need to finish anything at the hall?" asked Kelly, thinking aloud.

"Noo-pe," yawned Sirius loudly, stretching out in the warm glow of the fire. "It's all done. A bloody good job we did too, if I do say so myself."

The others chorused rounds of agreements and talk turned to the ball.

"Have you found a dress yet, Lils?" asked Tammie.

"No," Lily sighed. "I haven't really had a chance to look anyway."

"You'll find something eventually," Gemma assured her. Meanwhile, the Marauders were discussing dates.

"Got one yet Prongs?" asked Sirius, leaning back into the lounge.

"No," muttered James, frustrated. "I can't find anyone who I actually _like_."

"Why'd you turn down that Hufflepuff chick? What was her name? Lizzie something?" asked Remus, confused.

"I dunno, actually," said James with a slight laugh. The others started laughing, seemingly for no reason at all.

On the other side of the room, Lily listened quietly, hardly believing what she was hearing. _He hasn't got a date? Well … why? He _always_ has girls hanging off of him. He can get whoever he wants!_

"Lily? What's wrong?" Gemma asked her, interrupting her thoughts.

"What?" said Lily, a bit too quickly. "Oh … nothing." She glanced at the clock- it read 9:30 pm- and figured it was a plausible enough time to fake being tired. I guess I just need some sleep."

"Me too," muttered James. They glanced at each other quickly, but just as soon looked away, hoping no one noticed.

They all did, of course.

"Well, I'm off," said Remus, taking the hint. He stood and nudged Sirius, who looked up at him in surprise.

"What?" said Sirius, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, bloody hell," muttered Remus. He glanced pleadingly at the others and they stood in turn also, announcing their intentions of getting an early night's rest.

"Oh!" Sirius said, standing abruptly. He grinned and held a mock-salute to his forehead. "Night!" And then he traipsed out the door with the others.

James sighed heavily and stretched out on the couch, not bothering to move. Lily could practically see the heavy clouds sitting on his forehead. James Potter was in a _mood._ And, as Lily had learnt, when James was in a mood, he stayed like that for days. Remus had explained to her last year that his father was- no, _had_ been the same, and that a streak of stubbornness passed through the male Potter lineage; unmovable by even the strongest of wives to marry into the family.

"James," she began timidly, and he looked over at the sound of his name. "Uh – sorry. You know, for blaming you before.

James was slightly surprised, though he tried hard not to show it. Usually Lily refused to back down for days if she thought she was right about something. His expression cleared slightly, and he answered quietly, "s' alright. You didn't mean it."

"No," she agreed, sheepishly, standing up from the couch. "Um ... did you go to that meeting with Dumbledore?"

"Yeah," he answered softly. "Gemma, Sirius and Harry are coming too."

"Oh, ok. So, um … I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"I guess."

She didn't press the matter, but continued on to her room, saying softly, "Goodnight," before shutting her door.

James found himself staring at her plain white door for several minutes, though he was without reason. Finally, he traipsed towards his room, and before he shut his own door, muttered, "Goodnight."

* * *

"James, have you seen my black and white sweater?" Lily's voice called through his door. James' eyes flicked open suddenly before half-closing again as they adjusted to the light in his room. He glanced at his wrist watch – only 5:54 am – and groaned. 

"Lily," he called back, his dry throat rasping. "It's not even six o'clock in the bloody morning. Go back to _bed_."

She opened his door suddenly, poking her head in and groaning. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

It hit him then.

"Oh _crap_!" he muttered. He scrambled out of his bed, half blind without his glasses, looked down and just as he realised he wasn't wearing anything besides a pair of pyjama pants, he looked up, and Lily was gone.

"Right," he muttered to no one. Grabbing his wand from the bedside table next to him, he muttered, "Phillius!" A suitcase appeared in front of him, packed and ready to go. A neat spell that one- his father, an Auror, had taught him. His parents had used when they needed to get to somewhere quickly and had no time to pack. It was ironic that he used the spell to pack for their funeral, but James didn't stop to let himself think about it too much. He threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, some sneakers and a grey zip-up sweatshirt and hurried into the common room.

Lily was there, calmly sipping coffee, her small suitcase leaning on her chair's legs next to her.

"Hi," she smiled, handing him a cup.

"Hi," he repeated breathlessly, smiling slightly before taking a gulp of his coffee. It was very hot, but just the way he liked it. He came up for breath and raised the cup to Lily. "It's good," he murmured.

She smiled softly again, silently thanking him with her eyes. He nodded and looked away to the fire, where soft glowing coals still burned orange. He frowned slightly before the coffee kicked in and the world lost its blurriness and came back into focus. He put his wire-rimmed glasses on and sighed softly, as he did every morning, feeling the cool-metal slide onto its familiar position on the bridge of his nose.

"Are you ready?" she asked him quietly, as they both put down their mugs. James nodded slowly, put their mugs in the sink and then led Lily out the door, their suitcases trailing along, levitated in the air behind them.

They arrived at the Gryffindor entrance, and scrambled through the portrait hole, leaving their luggage in the common room as they continued up the stairs. Lily got Gemma, who was coming because both her parents were going to be at the funeral anyway, and because the Potter's were her godparents. James grabbed Harry and Sirius, who were both still sleeping and had to be practically screamed at before they would awake, and the five of them met downstairs exactly seven minutes later.

Once they were ready, the headed off to Dumbledore's office where the Headmaster stood waiting, wrapped in a traveling cloak. He ushered them in quietly, informing them that Professor McGonagall would be Acting Headmistress for the next few days while they were in London for the funeral. They all murmured various things, not really making sense, due to the early hour.

"Well then," sighed Dumbledore, "we'd best be off. _Portus." _He tapped an empty ink well and it glowed slightly as they all placed their fingers on it.

"Three, two, one," James heard the professor mutter. Then, the world started spinning, and they were away.

* * *

They arrived in a dark, dingy corner of a Muggle hotel staircase. There were no windows, only what seemed like hundreds of flights of stairs and a door in front of them. Lily started to feel slightly claustrophobic before Dumbledore swung off his cloak, tossed it over the crook of his arm, and led them through the door. 

They stepped into the hotel foyer, each examining its splendour. Though only half the size of the Hogwarts' Entrance Hall, it was decadently decorated, with marble tiles, walls and ceilings, plush lounges and stunning crystal chandeliers. The five teenagers rested on the couches provided as Dumbledore went to check them in. James, Sirius and Gemma all jumped as the elevators adjacent them sprang to life when people walked past and pressed the buttons.

"What the _bloody hell_ – are – are _those_?" yelped Sirius, pointing to elevators and the doors cinched shut, apparently horrified.

"Elevators," explained Lily calmly. "They take you up and down between floors. And keep your voice down; you nearly raised half the building."

"Sorry," mumbled Sirius, not taking his eyes of the elevators as though scared they might charge. "But I still don't like those things. What's wrong with Apparating?"

Lily and Harry were saved the mind-numbing problem of having to explain to Sirius that Muggles _couldn't_ apparate when Professor Dumbledore came back, ushering them into the lifts. Sirius stayed away from the sides of the walls, cautiously looking over his shoulder and counting every floor as they went up and up.

"We're on the 23rd floor," Dumbledore informed them, handing a room key to Lily and James each. "Lily, Gemma; you're in 2301; James, Harry, Sirius; you'll be in 2302. I myself will be down the corridor in 2306. Any questions?"

"What are we doing today, Sir?" James asked.

"I actually have to attend a business meeting with the Headmaster from La Vernaggio Scuola di Magia," Dumbledore said. "It's in Italy," he added upon noting the blank faces looking up at him. "So, you're most likely on your own for the day. If you promise to behave yourselves, that is."

They grinned to one another and the Headmaster's blue eyes twinkled. The elevator's doors finally open and they stepped out onto the 23rd floor.

"Just don't tell Professor McGonagall," he said with a slight smile. "Heaven forbid she'd find it appropriate for five teenagers such as yourselves to go gallivanting across London, doing as you please."

* * *

"This is awesome," muttered James with a grin as they stood in front of the London Bridge Towers. Though he had lived close to London all his life, James had never had the chance to really see the sights before. He smiled at Lily, who smiled back, pointing out the different parts around the city. She had unofficially become their tour guide for the day, and so far, as they ginned around the city on the double-decker bright red buses they were so famous for, she had shown them Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, and the Camden Markets, where'd they all bought something. Or in Lily and Gemma's case, a few things. Or in Sirius' case, quite a bit more. 

Sirius and Harry were looking out over the water, and Gemma joined them as Lily walked over to James.

"Do you like it here?" she asked him.

"It's awesome," he repeated, not taking his eyes of the view. "I'd love to live here one day. Have a big apartment, with lots of windows, so I can see everything."

She nodded, smiling. "Me too. My parents used to bring me into London all the time. I used to paint."

He turned to her curiously. "I'd love to see some more of your work one day," he said hopefully. "Will you show me some?"

"Maybe, if you promise not to laugh," she said coyly, grinning. Lily felt so comfortable right then, with her friends around her just watching the world go by.

"If they're anything as good as the one at that café in Hogsmeade, I think I'll-" began James, but he was cut off by a scream. Lily's head automatically turned to Gemma, but she was in turn looking at Sirius, whose eyes were fixated on a passing ship.

"What the _bloody_ hell is _that_?" he cried, while the others laughed, even Gemma and James.

* * *

**(A/N: V. short with a v. lame ending, I know, but I just wanted to get this out to you guys so you know I'm still alive and planning on finishing this, hopefully _before_ H-BP comes out.**

**And yes, James is very quiet and contemplative throughout this, but wouldn't you be if you were attending your parents' funeral tomorrow? Mmm-hmmm.**

**I'll be back as soon as I can!)**


	24. Looking Without Really Seeing

**(A/N: I am so incredibly sorry this is taking so long! I've just been having a few busy weeks at school and for the other time, I'm finding it hard to sit myself down and write. I know what's happening in the plot now, how it ends and who dies … sorry, did I say 'dies'? Hmmm … **

**I realise I've had a fair bit of a hiatus from this story but I'm still hoping it'll be finished before H-BP.**

**And yes, everyone's irrational and terribly sad right here. Watch out for hormones, people.)**

**Chapter Twenty-four: Looking Without Really Seeing

* * *

**

James sat rigidly in his chair, tugging slightly at the tie around his neck. He looked blankly at his plate in front of him, not even bothering to pretend to be eating it like he did before Quidditch games.

"Oi! Sirius! Give it back!" yelled a voice across the table. It sounded like Harry's voice, but James barely heard it. He frowned down at his breakfast, looking without really seeing.

"James? Are you alright?" said someone next to him. He looked up into deep blue eyes he recognized as Gemma's, and tried to smile.

"Fine," he mumbled. Gemma looked into his almost-lifeless eyes and her worry grew further. Muttering an excuse, she ran to find Lily, who was sitting with Dumbledore, going over the day's plan.

"The funeral is in two hours," Dumbledore was saying, "and the wake is to be held at the Morredale's home. We'll be taking portkeys from the garden to the house. Aurors are being stationed around the church as we speak … "

Gemma tuned out, preferring not to listen to the politics of her family friend's funeral. It didn't surprise that the wake was to be held at her home, even though it was the first she'd heard of it. Her parents' and James' parents had been close friends. She'd grown up with James- they'd even spent Christmases together as families.

After a few minutes, Lily and Dumbledore finished discussing and Lily got up, giving Gemma a tired smile.

"What's up?" asked Lily, tucking a small piece of paper into her coat's pocket.

"Im worried about James," admitted Gemma, fiddling with a strand of her chocolate hair hanging in front of her eyes. "He's really … I don't know," she hesitated, "_dull."_

"Gemma, in case you hadn't noticed, we're going to his parents' funeral today," said Lily, staring at her incredulously.

"I'm not stupid, Lily!" snapped Gemma. "Don't you think I realise that? It's not as if you'd known his parents your whole life!"

Lily could see tears forming in her friends' eyes and immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Gem," she muttered. "I didn't- I mean- well, obviously James is going to be upset, I was-"

"Oh, just forget it!" huffed Gemma, turning on her heel and stomping away. Faces turned to look from every direction and Lily felt her face burn, suddenly remembering where they were. A public restaurant- a Muggle one at that.

She decided to deal with Gemma later and went to find the others.

* * *

James finished what he could of his eggs and toast and instead sat in silence with Sirius, who seemed to be doing more of the same next to him. Eventually their plates where cleared away, and with nothing left to stare at, James led the way to the lobby where a small crowd, dressed all in black, had gathered. 

"Is everyone here?" asked Dumbledore, standing closest to the doors. James didn't bother to look.

" … ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen," muttered the Headmaster. "That's it. Would everyone please touch a finger to this newspaper? Thank you."

James looked down at his watch, carefully counting down the seconds.

_Five, four, three, two, one …

* * *

_

Lily looked around as they arrived in the garden. It was huge. It was adorned with flowers of every colour and description and huge trees grew all around. Even tropical plants and flowers that couldn't possibly grow in London's climate flooded the garden, spreading colour like wildfire everywhere. A lone path led through the centre of the garden, and at its base resided a wishing well. Lily was surprised to see it in such an obviously wizardly dwelling.

Soon after, Dumbledore was showing them were they were to sit during the ceremony. Lily was surprised to be placed in the front row with Harry, James, Sirius and Gemma- she had, after all, never even met the Potters. However, she kept quiet and tried to keep an eye on James. The funeral brought back memories of her parents own and her heart went out to him, knowing few of the people gathering there today was know the true pain they felt.

The time passed far quicker than she'd imagined it would and crowds of people began to pack into the garden. Lily had not thought there'd be nearly enough people gathered here to fill out the garden- it was enormous, after all- but there weren't even enough chairs for everyone. People were standing anywhere they could find a spot.

Before she knew it, the ceremony had begun.

* * *

James sat even more rigidly in his chair than he'd done at breakfast. His vision was blurred, even though he was wearing his glasses. Dumbledore was in front of him, standing before the small waterfall that trickled water slowly from the ancient rocks it flowed upon. And in front of Dumbledore were two wooden coffins. 

He couldn't bear to look at them.

Dumbledore was mentioning his name and James soon felt the glances of the gathered crowd upon him. He shifted uncomfortably, bowing his head and shielding his eyes from having to give into one of the many stares. He looked to his left and saw Sirius, head hanging in the same manner, eyes swollen and red. James could tell he was trying not to cry, could tell he was feeling pain like never before.

But James couldn't feel it.

He was numb. He couldn't feel anything. He was hollow and dull. The only thing he felt was despair.

He'd never, ever see his parents again.

_Never again._

He raised his eyes slowly, softly, searching. He looked once more at Dumbledore, who gave a saddened smile to the crowd before departing from the stand, and Mr Morredale took his place. And then, he lowered his eyes once more, where they fell upon the caskets.

He gasped softly and a lump grew in his throat as he saw the smiling photos of his parents, waving and laughing, on top of the coffins. He stared until the funeral ended; until the last speaker had finished their words; until the last few people had filed past the coffins.

James stood quietly and walked toward the base of the garden where the coffins layed. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and placed a hand on both.

_I love you, Mum and Dad. _

A hand came to rest on his shoulder and he turned to see who it belonged to.

"Uh … are you ready, Dad?" asked Harry. James could see the worry in his eyes and he smiled slightly at his son.

"Harry, I want you to meet your Grandparents," said James, gesturing to the photos.

Harry smiled, remembering their faces from the Mirror of Erised. "She looks like you," he commented, pointing to Mrs Potter's frame.

"I know," said James. "Everyone used to say my dad and I didn't look a thing alike- except for the smile."

Harry could see it too. Mrs Potter had curly, raven black hair and hazel eyes, identical to James' in every way. Mr Potter's hair was chestnut brown with a few tinges of gray weaved thought it, and piercing blue eyes, not unlike Dumbledore's. But the grins of both James and his father were identical, right down to the very last tooth.

"In other words, my eyes are most definitely from Lily's side of the family," smiled Harry, and James nodded, his eyes clouding slightly at the mention of her name. Harry dismissed it without thought. "Dad … what were their names? You never told me."

"David," said James, pointing, "and Elizabeth. My full name is James David Potter. It's kind of a tradition in our family to give your son your first name as his middle name."

"James, Harry," called a voice. Dumbledore was standing by the wishing well, beckoning them. "I'm sorry, but it's time to leave. The portkey is ready."

Harry clapped another hand on James' shoulder before walking towards the exit of the garden where the others were gathered. James half-smiled briefly to his son, and turned for the last time, to his parent's photos.

_I love you both. _

He hesitated slightly, unsure of what to think or say.

_Goodbye. _

He turned slowly and made his way to the gate without looking back. He stopped only once; flipping a Galleon into the wishing well as he made his way past. He tried to see where it had gone, but the tears were finally falling, and his vision was blurred once more.

_Looking without really seeing.

* * *

_

They arrived at the Morredale's home and a gasp sounded from both Harry and Lily.

"This is your _house?"_ Harry asked Gemma incredulously. She smiled softly and nodded.

"This is it," she replied. Harry was right to be amazed. Gemma's house, or _mansion_ to be exact, was huge. Chandeliers even more elaborate than those at the hotel hung above them, dimly lighting the hall they stood in. A sweeping staircase was in front of them, high ceilings roamed overhead and many valuable artworks had been placed around it. As they climbed the staircase and continued down a long passageway to the left of the house, Gemma whispered to Harry that there were 23 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, 5 offices, 4 kitchens and a ballroom. He could barely hide his amazement as they passed room after room after room.

They finally reached the ballroom where a lone grand piano sat in the corner. The doors that stretched from one side of the hall to the other, parallel, were shut, bar one, despite the mostly sunny day outside. A long table ran almost the length of the hall, covered in food.

"I have to speak with Mr and Mrs Morredale for a few minutes, but feel free to eat whatever you want while you wait. People will be arriving soon." Dumbledore swept out of the room and the doors closed with a quiet _click._

Harry and Sirius both went for the food but James had lost his appetite. As Gemma went to sit in front of the piano, James sat on the floor of the vast room in front of the only open door in the room. Lily sighed silently and sat beside him, her black dress bunching around her.

"Thinking of running?" she asked him as they sat together.

He didn't say anything, but she didn't need him to.

"I did," she said quietly. He looked at her in surprise, but still said nothing.

"I felt like I had nothing else to live for," she explained. "My parents were gone. My grandparents had died years before. I had no family left, except for my aunt and my sister who only saw me as a freak. I felt like my parent's death was my fault, like he wouldn't have gone after them if I wasn't a witch. At the funeral, I was just … empty. No one there cared about whether I lived or died."

"That's not true," muttered James, but she waved it aside.

"Please … just let me finish," said Lily. He saw the need in her eyes and obliged. "I felt like I was meaningless to the world. So I ran."

He looked at her again, his eyes searching hers for answers. "Where did you go?"

"To my most favourite place in the whole world," she said breathily. "Diagon Alley."

"Isn't that a little far from where you lived?" he asked, frowning.

"More than a little," she said with a small grin. "So, being the naïve little girl I was … I accepted a lift into London with some guy I didn't know."

James' eyes widened as the tears fell from her brilliant green eyes.

"He _raped me,_ James."

He gasped in shock as tears fled down her face, but Lily refused to break down altogether.

"He raped me," she continued, "and then dumped my semi-conscious body underneath a bridge in London. I didn't move for five days. I had no energy at all. I hadn't eaten for almost a week at that point. But one night, I got up, and walked into a street were there was a crowd of people gathering. I used some of the only money I had to buy a bottle of water from a store.

"After that, I walked towards the crowd of people. I found out it was one of those shelter places for homeless people and got in line for some food. I got talking to the girl behind me and we got onto the subject of hustling."

"Hustling? What's that?" asked James, frowning.

"Dealing drugs," she explained. "The Muggle stuff. She reckoned it was the only way to survive out there, and I figured I'd be there awhile. I had nothing to go back to after all- I didn't even want to go back to Hogwarts. I felt dirty and unclean after what that bastard did to me. So I bought three and half grams of cocaine from her and started dealing from there."

"Did you ever use it?" he asked her, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Not at first," she admitted. "I thought I was smarter than that. But after a few weeks doing what I could to just stay alive, it got so bad that I took some as an escape. It wasn't long until I was doing it everyday. I had no money and only got food once a day from the shelter. I was sleeping wherever I could find a sheltered space. I had no one." The tears were flowing without restraint and a deadened look had appeared behind her eyes.

James couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lily had always been … well … _Lily_. Always the good girl, never hurting another human being without reason … but herself?

"One night, I was really low on cash and couldn't afford a fix. So I walked around London instead, trying to forget about it. I don't know how it happened … but I was just- just walking along and all of a sudden, I was in Diagon Alley."

"And … what happened?" he asked, still whispering. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He saw her shiver slightly, and gingerly, he reached out and took her hand.

"Dumbledore found me," she whispered. "I can hardly remember it because I was so weak. All I remember was him saying, 'Lest not our lives be forgotten', and then waking up at Hogwarts the next day. He said he'd had people looking for me since term started. I didn't realise it was already three weeks in to the semester until he told me."

"Is that why you were late starting school the summer before sixth year?" James wondered with a frown. She nodded miserably, dabbing at her tear-stained cheeks with her free hand. "I-I had no idea."

Lily nodded once more. "Dumbledore told everyone it was because I was having trouble 're-adjusting'." She hesitated. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. No one else knows."

"No one? Not even your friends?"

She shook her head slowly before resting it against the side panellings of the open door before them. The sun had all but disappeared from view, and clouds had overtaken the sky. Haze filtered in over London from somewhere towards the East End and a gloomy air had descended upon them.

"Just … being here- in London, I mean … it brought it all back …" She sighed and looked him square in the eye. "If he hadn't found me … I'd be dead."

He stuttered, faltering, not knowing what to say; all of a sudden, she slipped her hand out of his and crouched beside him

"Don't ever run away, James," she whispered into his ear. Her breath tickled his neck and he shivered slightly as he turned to look at her. "Where are you going?"

But she was already gone.

* * *

The wake ended almost three hours later. People filed in and out of James' mind, interrupting his thoughts. He knew they just wanted to speak of their wishes and condolences, but James had no thoughts other than those of Lily. Her story was incredible in every aspect of the word. He thought he might have finally understood the reason why she always kept a part of herself locked away; why she never dated guys but always immersed herself in books. 

_She's trying to escape._

When only a few people remained in the ballroom, he seized his chance. "I'm going for a walk," he muttered to Sirius and Remus, grabbing his coat and practically running through the double-door entrance to the room before anyone could object.

He made his way, as he had done so many times before, to the exit of the Morredale mansion. Stepping outside, he pulled his coat on over the top of his black shirt and pants, before looking around to see if she was there. It didn't take long.

Lily was sitting on the cold, stone front stairs, not even wearing a jacket. She seemed to be so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not even hear him sit down next to her.

"Hey," he offered quietly. She turned to see him sitting there, slight surprise registering on her face.

"Oh … hi," she said lamely.

"I was wondering where you'd gone," he commented. She shrugged.

"I just … went for a walk, I guess."

"Yeah, me too."

A silence fell between them and James was almost amazed and how easy he found it just to sit and be there, without feeling pressure to keep the conversation alive. He sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that day and leaned against the brick pillar behind him.

"I really miss them, you know," she said suddenly. "My parents, I mean. Well, obviously I'm going to miss them, but … I don't know … I even miss the stupid stuff- like fighting with them about what time I was allowed to stay awake until at night or them asking me to clean my room."

James smiled sadly, thinking of his own parents. "That's how I feel," he muttered. "I can't believe I'll never get to see them again. I feel like there's so much I wanted to tell them … you know? But I'll never have that opportunity now … all because of _him."_

She did not need clarification on the identity of the man James spoke of. Anger surged through as tears formed in his eyes and she remembered the pain she'd felt, waiting for her death to stumble upon her as she lay forgotten in London at 15 years of age. Voldemort had to be stopped.

"As soon as I've finished school, I'm going out there- I may not kill him, but I can at least hold him off," she said quietly. He looked at her, eyes swarming with unasked questions. Instead of choosing one, he only seemed to resolve with her.

"Me too," he said. Choking tears back, he stared at her, searching her eyes with his. "Lily, I-"

"James, Lily!" yelled a voice above them. People came surging out on to the steps, some running for cars parked in the drive way, others looking for safe places to apparate without being seen and still more frantically tried to activate portkeys.

"What's going on?" James called to Sirius above the noise.

He saw Sirius visibly swallow and braced himself mentally. "There's been an attack," said Sirius fearfully, "in Diagon Alley. They think there's up to three hundred people dead."

James heard Lily gasp behind him and he felt his voice falter in the back of his throat. He unconsciously cast an eye upon the hazy city, only this morning sunny blue, where lightning was coinciding with rain and howls of wind blew everything. An ill wind was stirring. But something caught his eye before anything else.

"Is that-" he asked, but never finished his incredulous question, as Lily stood to meet him.

"Oh my God," she whispered, visibly weakening in the cold around them.

An acid green skull was hovering in the darkened sky.

* * *


	25. In Search of Old Beginnings

**(A/N: Thanks to everyone who left a review for the last chapter (and especially to those who left long ones hugs)! I realise I dropped quite a few bombs in that one, and that it mainly focused only on Lily and James. However, this chapter will mostly be about Harry, apart from a few moments where it's obviously necessary for it to center on Lily and James.**

**I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS MY 25TH CHAPTER. WHOOOOOAAAA. Haha.**

**By the way, I did say in an earlier chapter that James' full name was James _Christopher_ Potter- however; I decided to change that to suit the storyline line better. It is the same as mentioned in the last chapter: James _David_ Potter. Many thanks to reviewer Masked Detective for pointing that out!**

**For those who oppose the Harry/Gemma ship, I'm sorry but it's going to stay. **

**Also, I've done some sketches of the girls' dresses for the ball. They'll be posted in my LiveJournal (jellyjulie) in a public post when the chapter with the ball in it goes up (not this one unfortunately, but most likely the next). You can leave comments there on that post if you'd like (about the dresses or the story in general), and it would very much obliged if you left your penname from here in your comment. **

**I'll finally get lost so you can get on with reading the chapter! Please enjoy.)**

**Chapter Twenty-five: In Search of Old Beginnings

* * *

**

"Gemma, come on!" shouted Harry as they ran through the long hallway that stretched through her huge mansion. "He's coming this way! We have to get out of here!"

"I'm- coming-" she panted. "I just have to find … this!" She seized a piece of paper off the desk of the office she'd stopped in. Harry didn't take much notice of the document; instead, he captured her hand in his, practically dragging her down the hall way. Smoke was beginning to filter in through the windows of the mansion, and both of them were coughing. Still running, Gemma lead Harry to the nearest exit of the mansion, and they finally burst outside where a ferocious storm was stirring. Thunder clapped overhead and was close to coinciding with the lightning above them.

"Gemma! Harry!" yelled Sirius, running towards them. His cloak flapped around him as he rushed over, shouting to be heard above the wind. "There's been an attack in Diagon Alley! Voldemort knows we're in London, he's coming here!"

"We know!" bellowed Harry, ducking a tree branch that narrowly missed his head. "This storm is getting nasty; we've got to get out of here! Where's Dumbledore?"

"There!" shouted Gemma, pointing to where Dumbledore was standing with Lily and James. The three ran over to them, out of breath and occasionally jumping to avoid being hit by random objects now being hurled through the air by the strong winds.

Harry couldn't hear what Dumbledore, Lily and James were saying until he was two feet away from them. The winds snatched the words from their mouths before they reached anyone else's ears. He cupped a hand around his mouth and practically roared at the others.

"We have to get out of here!" Everyone nodded fanatically, mostly in Dumbledore's direction.

"Take this," he ordered, taking a green and blue peacock-feather quill from his pocket. _"Portus."_

They all grabbed onto it, and Harry stared in amazement when Dumbledore didn't.

"Where are you going?" he screamed. But before the old man could answer, they were whisked away.

* * *

The five teenagers tumbled to the ground as the portkey landed.

"Merlin, Dumbledore! Calm down a bit!" grumbled Sirius as he picked himself up from the floor, rubbing an elbow.

Lily looked around, trying to identify their surroundings. "Uh … where are we?" she asked quietly.

"Hospital Wing," said James and Sirius instantly. Harry chuckled to himself. He'd heard Madam Pomfrey ranting on about how James and Sirius had always been checking inand out of the hospital wing- much like himself really- and realised their knowledge of the place was extensive. As it was for the rest of the castle.

"Well, find us the way out, could you? We need to-" began Gemma, though she stopped when James raised an arm and pointed at the door adjacent from them. "Oh." She looked decidedly sheepish.

Harry led them through the door and as they stepped into the room, he had the distinct impression they were leaving reality behind. It was chaos in the main hall of the hospital wing. Every bed, and many others that had been conjured, were full of horribly injured people. Burns marked their skin and blood was beginning to stain bed sheets everywhere.

"Oh my God," whispered Lily behind him, as the others entered.

"It's the people from the attack in Diagon Alley," murmured Harry. He looked at the bed next to him, were a middle-aged wizard was writhing in pain, burns scarring the length of his face before continuing down his stomach. A deep gash rain up his right calf, blood pouring out of it incessantly.

"Where's Madam Pomfrey?" he said frantically, his eyes searching the room for a glimpse of her white uniform.

"She's busy," said Gemma, appearing suddenly at his side. "Move out the way, Harry." She grabbed the bed sheet that had been flung down the end of the burned wizard's bed. Pulling from the top end, she tore a strip of the white material with a violent tug.

"Gemma! What the hell are you doing?" asked Sirius in amazement, but Lily waved him aside with one hand.

"She's stopping the bleeding, you dolt," said Lily quickly. "Now shut up and let's see if we can help."

Lily rushed off to find an authorative figure of any sort while Gemma tied the fabric around the wizard's leg as tight as she could, earning a loud groan from the man. Harry stared in amazement as Gemma began working on as many patients as she could.

"Where did you learn all this?" he asked in amazement, as she performed a quick healing charm on a cut above a blonde witch's eye.

"Didn't I tell you?" she asked, puffing slightly as she ran from bed to bed. "I'm in training to become a Healer."

Lily came hurrying back to the group, looking slightly distressed. "Madam Pomfrey said to go back to the Head's room- she thinks we'll just get in the way," said Lily, though she didn't look much like she agreed. "But Gemma, she wanted you to stay and help. And she wanted to speak to you, she's over there."

Gemma hurried off and the remaining four teenagers headed away from the noise of the hospital wing and into the empty corridors- apparently, everyone was in class. They eventually made it to the Head common room, where each of the four collapsed on the vacant lounges.

"I'm so tired," mumbled Sirius, his face practically buried in a pillow.

"Me too," groaned Harry.

And one by one, the exhausted teenagers all drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Lily awoke next, she was vaguely aware of someone pottering around the room.

_But … where am I again?_

She opened her eyes properly and recognized her surroundings being that of the Head's room. Sitting up, she stretched and stood, smiling slightly at the sight of the three boys sleeping deeply on the lounges next to hers.

A noise sounded behind her and, without even thinking first, she'd whipped out her wand and whirled to face the intruder-

"Gemma!" she said in surprise, lowering her wand as Gemma's eyes widened at Lily's defense mode. "Oh … sorry," she laughed quietly. "How come you're back so soon?"

"Soon? Lily, I've been there for five hours! It's a quarter past eight. Looks like you guys slept for a while."

"Really? I feel like I've only had two minutes sleep," complained Lily.

"At least you got some," said Gemma, shrugging.

"Good point," admitted Lily. She yawned widely and stretched again. "What time did you say it was?"

"Quarter past eight," Gemma repeated. "Why?"

"Oh, bugger," muttered Lily. "James and I have to run a prefect meeting in fifteen minutes."

"What? We weren't even meant to be back until tomorrow!"

"Dumbledore asked me to run one this morning- he said we had to come back early because of safety precautions, or something." She hesitated. "By the way, about this morning …"

"Don't worry about it," commanded Gemma before Lily could manage her apology. "I was just overreacting because I was upset."

"Even so, I'm sorry," said Lily. "I was being stupid too. Let's just forget it, shall we?"

Gemma nodded sincerely, smiling, and the two girls hugged. Minutes later, Lily had shaken James awake, performed a quick Pepper-Up charm on the two of them and hurried him along to the library for the meeting.

Once there, James and Lily began setting up, setting out tables and chairs with their wands.

"I can't believe everything that's happened today," muttered James, spreading out sheets for each house on the main table.

"Me either," agreed Lily. "I think I need some more sleep."

They continued on in silence for a few minutes, until a noisy group of fifth-, sixth- and seventh-year Ravenclaw prefects walked in, with the other houses still following. When everyone was seated in their respective places, James began the meeting (it was Lily's turn to take notes).

"Welcome, everyone," said James. "We asked for your attendance at this meeting due to the need for a quick run over of the events for the ball. Sorry it was such late notice, and thanks for being here.

"I'll start with the rosters for the evening- you'll find you've been placed on rotation for patrol throughout the evening according to year groups and houses," announced James, handing the sheets out. "Fifth years, as you know, are being excused from due to this year not attending the ball."

A mixed round of groans and cheers met his words and he called for quiet before continuing.

"Also, please note all sixth- and seventh-years will be eating at the Ball, which is to be held at Kriston Hall. That's all. You're dismissed."

The prefects filed out of the room; Remus, the Gryffindor prefect since fifth-year, chatted quickly with James about the funeral and James promised to drop by their dorm before bed. As Remus left, James walked over to where Lily was sitting; finishing the notes she'd been taking.

She looked up as he sat on the edge of the desk she was working on. "You did well," she commented. "Very professional."

"Thanks," he said tiredly, rubbing his eyes. "Get everything?" he asked, gesturing to her notes.

"Yep," she confirmed, popping them into her bag. "Ready?"

"Oh, I'm not going back to our dorms- I'm going to the tower to see the guys," James said, as they walked towards the door.

"Oh, well that's ok," said Lily. "The girls were going to come by our dorms anyway. You probably wouldn't want to be around four girls on your own," she laughed softly.

He smiled quietly, pulling the door open for her. "Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow," he said as they prepared to go their separate ways.

She smiled and nodded, and suddenly, she'd pulled her arms around him. "It'll get better James," she whispered, and he knew instantly what she was talking about. "I'll help you through it." Quickly, she kissed him on the cheek, smiled once more, and disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Harry, Sirius, Remus and Peter were all in the process of getting ready for bed when James wandered in, plonking down as usual on the armchair in the corner.

"Hey," he called to the others.

A round of greetings met his and the guys eventually settled themselves down as they finished brushing their teeth and sat on their beds. Remus and Peter caught the other three up on everything that had been happening around the school in the couple of days they'd been gone.

"There was a fight between that fifth-year Gryffindor Benjamin Roberts and a sixth-year Slytherin yesterday," commented Remus. "They were both after the same girl, I think. Some Hufflepuff ditz."

"But the Gryffindor came out on top, right?" asked Sirius eagerly.

"Well, he was on top until McGonagall and Kettle pulled them apart," said Peter thoughtfully. "But in the end he got the girl as well."

"Yeah- and then he dumped her today because she was 'boring him', apparently," laughed Remus.

James smiled. "Looks like we have a new Sirius Black on our hands."

Sirius threw a pillow at him, which he only half-heartedly dodged.

"Your heart isn't in it, hey Prongs?" teased Sirius.

"Nah … I'm just absolutely buggered. I think I'll go while I can still make it back to bed. 'Night."

He traipsed out of the room, a deafening silence filling his ears as he walked the length of the lonely Hogwarts corridors.

* * *

Lily smiled softly; glad to finally be able to go to bed. She stepped into her tidy room, thinking back to the time she'd just spent with her friends. It had been fun catching up again, even though they'd only been gone two days, but Lily needed sleep badly, and so had hurried them along as politely as she could.

Yawning slightly, she closed her down and willed herself not to collapse onto her bed fully-clothed and fall asleep right then and there. Instead, she made her way to the wardrobe on the opposite side of her huge room, pulling open the doors to grab out a clean pair of pyjamas. However, a long, thin, black clothes bag was hanging in her closet, and out of pure curiosity, she grabbed the unfamiliar item and the note attached to it.

Pulling the cover away from the garment hidden beneath, Lily got her first look at the mystery clothing. Inside, was a … dress!

Not just any dress, either. The beautiful, simple white gown she held before was made of the lightest material she'd ever held. It was fitted at the bust and secured by three individual horizontal gold straps before flowing to the ground. It was stunning.

She held the note before her, having to read it through three times before the reality of it sunk in.

_To my dearest Lily,_

_I was going to give this dress to you on your eighteenth birthday, but in case anything ever happened to me, organized for it to be given to you when the person holding it felt you needed it most. If you're reading this, obviously something has- and I just want you to know I'll always love you, and you'll always be my beautiful little girl._

_The dress was given to me by my mother. I wore it to my first dance- incidentally, it was the night I met your father. I'm passing it on to you as my gift for happiness you've given me all your life. Wear it well- I'm sure you will look positively radiant in it when the time comes for you to show it off yourself._

_Incased in the bottom of this bag is a small package. In it you will find a gold Vitalité necklace, which I hope you will hold dear to you for your life, as I do now. I was given the pendant anonymously on the day I turned eighteen. I have worn it every day of my life since. _

_Be careful, as I know you will be, with these gifts, Lily. They are yours for life, until the time comes for you to pass them on yourself._

_Love always and forever,_

_Mum._

Tears poured silently down her cheeks as she held the letter in one hand and the pendant necklace in the other. She clasped the necklace around her neck quickly, vowing never to part with it. Looking down at the note once more, conflicting emotions ran through her mind, but a clear thought rained through.

She'd found her dress for the ball.

* * *

French for _vitality. We'll find out more about the necklace soon._


	26. The Ball

**(A/N: Welcome back! I've been writing late into the night this week to finish off the ball chapter, as it's quite long, so reviews would be very much appreciated. :)**

**The dresses are up at my livejournal. For those who want to view them, the address is www dot livejournal dot com slash users slash jellyjulie. Yeah, this place screws the addy's.**

**Any additional questions or comments can be left either in a review here, and I'll answer it next chapter, or in my LJ.**

**I tried hard to write an exceptionally long chapter this time around, as my last few hadn't been up to scratch. Also, it counts as a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been with me from the beginning, and to everyone on my Author Alerts list- now has over 100 people! I'm totally stoked, and so this is shout out to you.**

**Right, I'll stop wasting your time, and we can get to the good stuff. )**

**Chapter Twenty-six: The Ball

* * *

**

The next few days passed by in a blur of lessons, whispers and gossip through the halls of Hogwarts- who was wearing what, who was going with whom …

Lily steeled herself against her friends' ploys to see her dress for the ball. She just figured she wasn't really ready to show it to anyone yet. As for the necklace, however- she'd worn it every day since, without taking it off. It was something she'd not shown the other girls either. She didn't really know why … she just knew that it was not the time for it.

James grew increasingly quieter as the talk in the halls grew louder. His friends often worried about him as he drifted from class to class and meal to meal. He said only what was necessary and mostly, his eyes were lowered to avoid meeting any others.

By Thursday night, it seemed half of Hogwarts had noticed a significant change in James. Sirius was not used to seeing his best friend so morose. And so, in true Marauder style … he devised a plan …

* * *

Friday rolled around as only Friday knew how. Excitement invaded the sixth- and seventh-years of each house, and even those not allowed to attend the ball caught on to the fervor growing rapidly.

Lily and James, being the Head students, were given the day off from school work to prepare for the ball. Mostly, their tasks consisted of checking student lists, organizing food and transport, and decorating the rest of Kriston Hall. Lily noticed James was fairly quiet, but since neither of them was really feeling up to much talking, she didn't mention it. Around lunch, however, four young males burst into Kriston Hall, chatting animatedly.

"Prongs!" yelled Sirius. "Oy! Come down here a minute!"

James walked down the stairs to his friends, while Harry wandered over to talk to Lily, who was hanging a Hogwarts banner on the opposite side of the hall.

"Watch out for this, Mum," muttered Harry. "It ain't gonna be pretty." Lily looked confused, and had opened her mouth to question the comment, when-

"You did _what?" _asked James incredulously. "PADFOOT!"

"Oh, come on Prongs, it's not as if you couldn't use a little fun!" said Sirius confidently, though from where Lily was standing, he was looking a little terrified. She didn't exactly blame him- James's eyes seemed to burning a hole into his friend.

"Sirius set him up with this blonde chick in Hufflepuff," explained Harry, as she climbed down from the ladder she was perched on.

Lily shook her head, laughing. "Merlin only wonders how that boy's mind works. He actually thought James would want this?"

"Apparently so," mused Harry. "We all told him not to, but he was just like, 'trust me, James will love it!'. Honestly, he could walk into a brick wall and wonder why he couldn't get through."

Lily laughed, flicking a long fiery curl over her shoulder as she and Harry approached the boys. James seemed to be restraining himself from hexing Sirius into next week while Remus and Peter looked on in apparent concern.

"But, James," pleaded Sirius, "she thinks you _want_ to go with her-"

"Oh my God," said James through clenched teeth.

"-she was really happy when I asked for you-"

James snorted at the comment.

"-she'll be really upset if I say I just made it up! She really likes you, Prongs!"

James rubbed his eyes behind his glasses, looking ready to kill and taking a deep breath. "Out of the goodness of my heart, Black, I will do this one thing for you. But you have to promise to never again set me up. With anybody."

Sirius tried to suppress the grin on his face as he placed his right hand over his heart. "I promise," he announced, winking. A bell sounded far-off at the castle, signaling the end of lunch, and Lily remembered where they where.

"How did you guys get over here, anyway?" asked Lily suspiciously, glaring at Harry, who shrank back.

"We needed to tell Dad, Mum," came his somewhat weak response, and even though she was still angry, she smiled as she always did whenever he called her his mother. She couldn't get used to it, no matter how she tried.

"We used the Invisibility Cloak, of course," bragged Sirius, lifting his shirt to show her where he'd concealed it- though it appeared as though his entire middle section had disappeared.

"That's a nice look, Padfoot," laughed Remus, as Sirius removed the cloak from under his shirt, making parts of his body invisible as he did so. Laughing, Harry took it from him, throwing it over the four boys and they crept away, unseen.

James and Lily stood together, both shaking their heads.

"I swear I'll kill him one day," say James, chuckling slightly.

Lily giggled, throwing a roll of Spello-tape into the corner. "So who's the girl you're going with?"

"Halle Wren, in Hufflepuff," he told her. "Know her?"

Lily thought for a second and realised that she did know her; Halle was only the most stereotypical 'dumb blond' she'd ever comes across. Young, stupid, and pretty- no wonder Sirius had picked her.

"Yeah, I do actually," said Lily, not voicing her opinion.

"She- uh- she's not exactly the brightest girl, huh?" said James, smiling lightly. "I mean, she's pretty enough … but I want a girl I can talk to, you know?"

"Really?" remarked Lily. "I thought blond and dumb was every Marauder's type."

He fixed her with a pained look. "That hurt, Lils."

"I'm sorry," she said automatically. "But it's not like you weren't like that before."

"Yeah, I guess," he admitted. "But I think I've grown out of it now." He flashed her a quiet grin and she couldn't help but smile. "So who are you going with?"

"No one, actually," she conceded. "I don't really have feelings for anyone right now."

"Yeah … me either," he said, his eyes not meeting hers. She dismissed it, using her wand gather scattered objects from around the hall.

They were packing away the remaining banners and tools that were not needed for the ball when another bell sounded.

"What's that one for?" asked James, wrinkling his nose.

"Sixth- and seventh-years get out of class, to get ready for the ball," Lily reminded him. Comprehension dawned on his face momentarily before he wrinkled his nose again.

"But it's only 1:30! Why would _anyone_ need four and a half hours to get ready?"

"Don't ask me," laughed Lily, "I won't be getting ready until I think I need to."

"Same here," said James defensively. "And I probably won't be leaving the guys' dorm until I can drag Sirius away from the mirror."

Lily laughed once more. "So, are you getting ready in there, then?"

"Yeah, I guess. It'll give you more space in our dorm," he smiled graciously. She thanked him and they found their brooms in the lobby outside the hall. After shrinking her packages and placing them inside her pockets, Lily climbed aboard her broom, coasting outside but remaining close to the ground. James soon caught up, and they quickly made the journey back to Hogwarts. While Lily wasn't the best of fliers, she was good enough, and made the trip without fault.

After tucking their brooms safely away in the broom shed, they continued into the castle, placing the packages in the side room of the Great Hall, as Dumbledore had requested.

"I'll see you at the ball, then?" queried James as they prepared to part ways again.

"Same me a dance," she smiled, walking away.

* * *

Gemma walked out of the bathrooms, heading towards her dresser on the other side of a room, a white towel stamped with the school's crest wrapped firmly around her.

The other girls hadn't arrived yet from there classes and so Gemma had used to opportunity to have a long, relaxing hot shower She pulled on a pair of her most comfy pyjamas- she didn't want to ruin her dress before she even got to the ball.

As she was pulling out her makeup, Tammie and Kelly walked in, already chattering excitedly about the ball. Gemma greeted them warmly, and the girls then got to work on their 'looks' for the evening.

An hour later, as Gemma began putting on her makeup after having primped the rest of her body, Lily walked in.

"Hey guys," she smiled, closing the door behind her. She walked over to where Gemma was sitting in front of a bureau, examining her skin tone in the mirror, and sat down on Gemma's bed. Gemma smiled at her quickly, before going back to examining her face.

"Um ... Gem? What exactly are you doing?" Lily asked her, frowning as Gemma started squishing her face with her hands rather weirdly.

"I don't know, actually," laughed Gemma. She stopped and turned around to Lily, who giggled.

"Here," said Lily, raising her wand. She waved it once and spoke a short incantation. Makeup now rested perfectly on Gemma's face, accentuating her deep turquoise eyes with smudged, smoky eyeliner. Her lips were a nude pink, slick with gloss and her foundation a perfect match to her skin.

"Wow, Lily!" commented Tammie as she walked in from the bathroom. "You did a really good job."

"Thanks," smiled Lily. "And I made sure it won't come off at all this evening," she told Gemma, who was clearly very happy with her look.

"Practical and effective- love it," grinned Kelly from the door of the bathroom.

"Can you do mine?" asked Tammie.

"Well, I-"

"Thanks, Lils!" she cried excitedly, running over and throwing herself into the chair Gemma had recently vacated.

"-could try," finished Lily lamely. She sighed to herself, and then laughed as she looked into Tammie's eager eyes. "Alright then."

She said the spell once more, waving it in the flourishing motion she had done before. When she was done, Tammie's eyelids were coloured a light lavender, her lips a soft peach and her cheeks were flushed beautifully. Her skin was spotless, thanks to the wonderfully concealing foundation.

"Oh, Lily!" cried Tammie, flinging her arms around her friend. "You did such a good job!"

Lily smiled happily, and of course, was waved over to Kelly. After performing the spell once more, Kelly's eyes were lined similarly to Gemma's, though not as heavily. Her lips a peachy-pink colour and her cheeks lightly contoured. All three girls looked gorgeous, thanks to Lily's help.

The girls gathered around Tammie's corner as she prepared to change her eye colour. She'd held off until the night of the ball, explaining that she'd wanted to shock people.

"Ready?" Kelly asked Tammie, handing her wand to her.

"Ready," confirmed Tammie, holding the wand in front of her and closing her eyes. _"Occulus Cambiamento L'azzurio."_

She opened her new eyes to many loud cheers.

"It worked!" she cried, astounded as she stared into the mirror in front of her. "And … it looks kind of good!"

"Good? Tammie, they look amazing!" grinned Gemma, staring at her eyes, which were now the colour of a soft sky blue.

"Definitely," smiled Lily.

Kelly, Gemma and Tammie soon moved onto their hair, using spells to create the look that suited them most. Gemma's chocolate brown locks were given soft wave that flowed down her back, free from any frizz whatsoever.

Tammie's blonde hair was piled onto her head in an elegant loose French twist, with her side fringe drawn away from her eyes to draw them into better perspective. Kelly's hair took the appearance of well-done blow-dry; straight, shiny and frizz-free.

"You all look so amazing," smiled Lily proudly, feeling quite dressed down in just her school robes and makeup-free face.

"When are you going to get ready? It's almost five o'clock," said Kelly, looking at her watch.

"Oh- well, I might be late, so I'll meet you guys at the hall," she said. "I have to do some things for Dumbledore."

"Alright then," smiled Tammie. "Thanks so much, Lils!"

Lily waved and walked out of the dorm, returning to her own and to the dress she was to wear that evening.

* * *

James stood in front of the only mirror in the seventh-year Gryffindor boys' dorm. He looked himself over once, clad in his tux for the ball, before turning away nervously. He had no idea why he was nervous. He barely even knew his 'date'.

"She's great Prongs, you'll see," said Sirius, clapping a hand on his shoulder from behind and practically reading his mind.

"I'm ignoring you, Black," said James, tweaking his bow tie.

"No you're not, and you know it," grinned Sirius, jumping in front of the mirror. "Now, as your best mate, I'm here to offer you some advice. Have fun tonight, and forget about everything else. We're going to have goodnight. Okay?"

James nodded silently, before grinning in reluctance. "Okay."

"How do I look? Honest now," said Sirius, winking at him for what felt like the hundredth time that day. James felt like smacking his head in.

"You look great, alright? Can we please go?" asked James, checking his watch.

"Looks like someone's getting a bit anxious to see their date," laughed Sirius, and James really did hit him.

"Ouch!" cried out Sirius, but James ignored him.

"Actually, it's because the Head boy is not allowed to _be_ late," growled James, grabbing his friend by the collar of his shirt.

"Stop it! You're going to wrinkle it!" yelled Sirius in protest, and James let go once they were outside the dorm.

"Took you long enough," said Harry impatiently as James and Sirius finally made it down to the common room where he, Remus and Peter were waiting.

"It was him," muttered James bitterly, pointing to Sirius and checking his watch again. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Lily sat in front of her own mirror, makeup and hair perfected, dressed and ready to go to the ball. Before she went, though, she re-read the note her mother had left with a special occasion just like this in mind.

_Love always and forever, Mum._

Reaching up behind her, she fastened the gold _Vitalité_ necklace around her neck, and stood to leave.

* * *

The Marauders stood in the lobby of Kriston Hall as people poured in from all directions, dressed immaculately in their finest, awaiting their own dates for the ball. Kelly, Tammie and Gemma all arrived together, and made a beeline for the boys after Gemma spotted Harry. Harry looked overwhelmed, and James could see why: Gemma looked absolutely beautiful, as did her friends.

"Why the hell didn't I go with one of those girls?" muttered Sirius to James, eyes wide, looking vehemently annoyed. "They're all bloody gorgeous!"

Gemma and Harry were holding hands, and many people were staring at the new couple- some were even walking past glaring at the two, guys and girls alike.

They all examined Tammie's new eye colour and agreed it looked great on her. Tammie smiled happily, and she, Kelly, Gemma and Harry journeyed down the sprawling staircase behind the Marauders and into Kriston Hall itself.

Peter's date, Danielle Yielding from Hufflepuff, arrived with a group of her friends and Peter left with them. Just after he'd left, Courtney Daniels and Chloe Summers from Ravenclaw arrived, and Sirius and Remus went to join.

"She'll be here soon, mate," said Sirius as he walked away, Courtney on his arm.

James was now left on his own as the crowds in the lobby filtered down the staircase and into the hall. Eventually, in one of the last groups to arrive, came Halle, dressed resplendently in light green, her blonde piled up on her head in curls.

"Sorry I'm late," said Halle, giggling, slipping her arm through his.

James forced a smile as they began walking down the stairs into the hall. Some people were already dancing, though most people were sitting down as the music wasn't too loud just yet.

"Er- you look nice," said James awkwardly. Halle was staring at him as they made their way down the stairs, as though she couldn't believe she was on a date with James Potter.

"Ooh, thankyou!" she cried, giggling again and blushing. James led Halle over to the table where Remus, Sirius, Harry, Kelly, Gemma and Tammie were sitting with their respective dates.

"Where's Lily?" he asked Gemma quietly, noticing her absence.

"She said she'd be a bit late," explained Gem, looking up at him as he stood. "Why?" she asked, with a cheeky smile.

"Oh- we've … uh- we've got to open the ball together," he fumbled, and wondered suddenly why he was so embarassed.

"Right," said Gemma, nodding, though the knowing look did not remove itself from her eyes.

Up on the stage at the opposite end of the hall to the stairs, the band struck out a new tune; faster and louder this time. Halle grabbed James' hand.

"Let's dance!" she trilled, dragging him onto the floor before he could open his mouth to protest.

She planted her hand on his shoulder, smiling dreamily at him, and he had no choice but to comply. They started swaying to the rhythm, and though Halle kept trying to close the gap between the two of them, James politely but firmly kept his distance. He didn't want to give Halle any more ideas about their 'relationship' than Sirius had already given.

As they danced, James found himself staring into space, wondering where exactly Lily could've gotten to.

* * *

She stood in the lobby, hearing the music pouring in from the hall, wondering whether or not she should go in. Sighing, and knowing that she'd already promised many people her presence at the ball; she pulled open the door that led into the hall, and began to make her way into the room.

* * *

James stared at a lone figure, dressed in white, walking down the sweeping grand staircase in front of him. Squinting his eyes, he could just make out the gold detailing on her dress, a detailed gold pendant necklace, and long, fiery red curls …

Only one girl in the school had hair of such a deep red …

"_Lily?"_ he whispered to himself as she neared the bottom of the stairs, finally looking up. He couldn't believe how incredibly gorgeous she was. Long, languid red curls ran down her back; her skin pale and shimmering in the moonlight pouring in from the open doors on either side of the hall; her dress accentuating her soft curves. She looked like a goddess. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

"What?' asked Halle, the smile sliding off her face.

James had practically forgotten about her; her words caused him to jump, remembering where he was. "Oh … uh …" he stumbled, anxiously trying to think of a lie. "I have to go open the ball with Lily. Just a Head Boy duty."

"Okay," smiled Halle. She leaned in to him, whispering, "I'll be waiting."

Again, James was forced to smile, but he eventually broke away, making a beeline for where Lily was now standing with Tammie and Remus. She was so stunning. He couldn't get her out of his mind.

He kept walking and eventually reached his group of friends.

"Hey," he said softly, and they moved to make room for him in their circle.

"Hi," they all answered. Lily smiled at him, and his heart fluttered slightly.

Forcing himself to stop breathing so erratically, he asked her, "Are you ready?"

"For what?" she asked, frowning.

"We have to open the ball … remember?"

"Oh, right!" she said, all smiles. "Yes, I am," she informed him.

They walked toward the stage at the other end of the hall, weaving away from the dancing couples everywhere.

"You look amazing," murmured James to her. She blushed and smiled, her hand finding the _Vitalité _necklace.

"You don't look to bad yourself, Mr Potter."

He grinned, gesturing to his tuxedo. "What, this old thing?"

She laughed, continuing the charade. "Yeah, I just threw this on," she told him.

"No one could just throw something on and look that beautiful," whispered James. She blushed and smiled again, before looking at him, looking away, and looking at him again.

"What?" laughed James. "Is there something on my face?"

"No," Lily assured him. "It's just … well ...thanks."

He smiled and they climbed the stairs onto the stage as the song ended, ready to begin their speech.

"Welcome," said James, "to this year's Start of Term Ball."

A round of applause broke out and the Head students smiled as they stood next to each other in front of the podium.

"We'd like to thanks our band, Wiz' Fizz, for donating tonight's music," added Lily, and another huge roar of applause sounded.

"Now, to officially open the ball, we'd like to invite Professor Dumbledore to begin the feast," James finished. The students clapped once more as their Headmaster, dressed in silk robes of topaz, took to the stage.

"Before I begin," said Dumbledore, a slight grin appearing on his face, "let us thank our Head Boy and Girl, Mr James Potter and Miss Lily Evans, for organizing this splendid ball for us this evening. And might I add how lovely they both look?"

Lily and James both blushed slightly as they took their seats. According to tradition, the Head Boy and Girl were to eat with the Professors present at the ball. It was a bit of a drag, but afterwards they were free to do whatever they wanted. And they were exempt from rounds for the whole night, aside from a short trip after the ball had finished.

Dumbledore opened the feast and dinner was soon brought out to every table by house elves. Roasts of every kind, vegetables, trimmings and sauces were provided, and pumpkin juice and butterbeer were the drinks of choice. James and Lily joined in with the merry talk of the teachers, chatting merrily to Dumbledore about living with him in the summer.

When everyone eventually finished eating, the plates were cleared away and Dumbledore stood once again to speak.

"And now, I invite both James and Lily onto the dance floor for the traditional Head Boy and Girl dance!" proclaimed Dumbledore, and James almost choked on his own breath.

"What? Since when was it a tradition?" asked James, standing up as Professor McGonagall shoved them out of their seats.

"Since today," she grinned, pushing both he and Lily towards the dance floor. Lily laughed good-naturedly, taking his hand and leading him towards the floor.

"Why are you so happy?' he grumbled.

"I wasn't before," she admitted. "But can't you just enjoy the night? After all, it's just one dance. And you did promise me."

He grinned in spite of himself and complied, placing a hand in the small of her back. "Okay," he settled, "as long you agree not to yell at me when I step on your feet. I'm not the best of dancers."

She smiled, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry; I'll just step on yours back."

"Well, now I'm really relaxed," he laughed, "by the end of the night, we'll both be in the hospital with severe nerve damage to our toes."

She giggled and James found himself endeared to her. It wasn't annoying like Halle's when she giggled; merely cute and very sweet. They started swaying to the beat of the music, a slower tune to the one he and Halle had danced to, and James began to feel the crowds staring drift away as he and Lily danced.

"You're really good," he complimented her as he spun her around gracefully. People had started to filter onto the floor, dancing like Lily and James.

"Thanks," she said, momentarily taking her hand off his shoulder to flick a long curl over her back, and he felt oddly at a loss without it there. "My mum used to teach me in our kitchen. She and my dad used to dance all the time." She smiled reminiscently but didn't miss the deadened look behind James' eyes at the mention of parents.

"How are you holding up?" she asked quietly, and he sighed.

"Just going from day to day I guess," he mumbled, and she felt his hand tighten slightly in hers.

"Your friends are worried about you," she commented, "we all are. You're so quiet lately."

"Lily, my parents just died," he said, looking at her incredulously. "I thought you, of all people, would understand!"

"I do," she assured him, her eyes wide at his outburst. "But your parents would've wanted you to go on living."

He sighed again, looking anywhere but at her. "I know. But … it's so hard."

The song ended suddenly and the sound people clapping all around surprised them- they'd both been too involved in their conversation to listen to the music. They broke apart, and James instantly felt alone without her touch. He couldn't help it. He needed her.

Gently, she squeezed his hand, saying, "remember … if you want to talk, come and find me … I'm here for you, James." And suddenly she was gone, having disappeared into the crowd around them.

James sighed frustratedly. She had a habit of doing that.

* * *

Gemma and Harry sat at their table while most of the other students danced, neither being big on dancing themselves. They watched Lily and James dance together, obviously lost in each other, as both were oblivious to the song's end until applause broke out around them.

"He's so in love with her," laughed Harry, resting his chin on Gemma's shoulder as she leaned back on him.

"And she's in love with him," smiled Gemma as Lily leaned into James to whisper into his ear, "she just doesn't realise it yet."

"They just need to get their act together and snog already," said a voice from above. They looked up and saw Sirius grinning, obviously having forgotten all about setting James up with Halle.

"I'm going for a walk with Courtney," he commented, a wicked glint in his eye, and all present knew that they would get very far. He and Courtney bid Harry and Gemma goodbye and departed for the gardens outside.

Gemma looked into the crowd, her eyes finding James, who was looking around wildly, whilst Lily had seemingly disappeared. Harry noticed too.

"Where the hell'd mum go?" he asked, searching the crowd like James.

Gemma giggled, turning around to face him. "Don't you see it? Lily always disappears whenever she thinks getting too close. To any guy. She's been like that since sixth-year began."

"Why?" he asked, confused. He'd never really taken notice before.

"I don't know," conceded Gemma. "But something definitely happened that summer. I mean, obviously her parents died, but she was _five _weeks late for school. Dumbledore told us that she was just really torn up over her parents, which I can understand, but Lily never mentioned her parents. Not once."

"But what's that got to do with guys?"

"See, that's the thing," said Gemma, frowning. "All through fourth- and fifth-year, Lily had guys lining up for her. She flirted endlessly with them- except James, of course. In fact, some people thought of her as the male equivalent of Sirius."

"My mum? The same as Padfoot?" Harry snorted. "I don't think so."

"It's true," smiled Gemma slightly. "She was hardly ever without a boyfriend, or at least an admirer. We'd wake up in the morning and there'd be presents stacked outside the dorm door. It got a bit annoying, really. But she always made time for studying."

Harry laughed. "Now that sounds more like Mum."

"And then, when she came back to school, it was like she'd sworn off guys. She couldn't look them in the eye and avoided them at all costs. One night, she was having this nightmare, and she was moaning so loudly she woke us all up. When Tammie put a hand on her head to calm her down, Lily screamed and burst into tears. We tried to question her about it but she always brushed us off, usually going to the library. She just started studying all the time. And now, it seems like James is the only guy she's mildly comfortable with."

Harry frowned, lost in thought. It all seemed so strange. He tried to fit the pieces together in his head, but failed. Something was missing.

"I guess she'll tell us when she's ready," said Gemma lightly, leaning back onto him.

"Yeah," he said, still thinking. Wiz' Fizz was now playing a slow, romantic song, and most people were dancing closely with their partners. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he could see Lily, chatting with a few girls from Ravenclaw.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Gemma asked him, standing suddenly.

He shrugged, then caught a glint in her eye, and smirked. "Of course," he said leading her outside.

* * *

James spent the night making up excuses to escape from Halle's clutches. He danced with many girls, including Tammie, Kelly and Chloe, Remus's date, but he kept his eyes trained for Lily the whole time. He wanted to feel her touch again, to hold her close like he had before. He'd spotted her a few times; chatting casually with groups of guys and girls and wanted to join her, but Halle had always used his hesitation to her advantage and dragged him off for another dance or to meet her umpteenth friend.

Finally, around 11:30 pm, he'd seen her dancing casually with Blake Gelding from Hufflepuff, and used his opportunity. Though at first he'd wanted to punch the guy, he settled for cutting in, and stealing Lily away.

"Well, hi there," said Lily, smiling as twirled her round.

"Hello," grinned James, happy just to have her in his arms again.

"How has your evening been so far?" she asked him.

"Reasonably good," he answered as they swayed to the rhythm. "Halle's been dragging me pretty much everywhere but I've managed to sneak away once or twice."

She laughed; a soft, tinkling laugh that hung in the air. "I don't blame you," she said with a wicked grin, "that girl's giggle is enough to drive anyone insane."

"You said it," agreed James, spinning her around once more.

"You're getting better," she commented as she turned to face him again.

"Thanks," he smiled, "Tammie and Kelly forced some lessons on me."

She laughed again as the song came to an end and a slower tune began. Couples all around them drew closer in towards each other.

"You know, that doesn't look so hard," said James thoughtfully. Lily visibly stiffened in front of him and he caught her discomfiture.

"It's ok, Lily," he murmured. "I won't hurt you. Ever."

She smiled rather reluctantly but moved towards him all the same. Her delicate hands found his shoulders, and James's found her waist. James couldn't believe his luck. Ever since Lily had told him about her summer before sixth-year, he'd noticed how she'd avoided any guy who seemed to have an interest in her. He'd not expected her to let him hold her so close, when it was obvious how frightened she was of men.

"I'm sorry," she breathed in his ear. "It's just that- well, ever since- you know- it happened … I haven't really been comfortable around guys."

He nodded, his eyes assuring her. "I understand," he said quietly. "Anyone would."

She smiled gratefully at him, and even moved in a bit closer. James had to stop himself from closing the gap further, knowing it would frighten her.

"So consider yourself lucky, Mr Potter," she said, a sparkle returning to her eyes, and he grinned. They danced quietly to the song, lost in their own little world, until it ended a minute later, and Lily quite suddenly remembered their duties.

She pulled away from him, and his face dropped slightly, but she didn't notice. Grabbing his wrist and checking his watch, she exclaimed, "We've got to close the ball!"

He almost smacked himself in the forehead, having forgotten. "Oh, you're right! What's the time?" he asked stupidly, forgetting also that he was wearing a watch.

"11:57," she answered promptly. "Come on, we'll just finish it after this song." She hauled him over to the stage, weaving in and out of couples, who were dancing more exuberantly than they had before as the song was quite fast-paced. She signaled to the lead singer, and when the song ended, she and James walked onto the stage.

"Sorry, everyone, but that's all we have time for tonight," apologized Lily as she and James stood at the podium once more.

"Before we go, let's all put our hands together and thank our wonderful band, Wiz' Fizz, for all their efforts tonight and for helping make this one of the best balls Hogwarts has ever seen!" A thunderous round of applause broke out all over the hall, and many cheers were heard.

"And three cheers for Lily and James, for putting this thing together!" James heard someone yell in the crowd. Sirius was standing on one of the tables on the side, grinning and clapping madly as people everywhere cheered.

James bowed jokingly and Lily curtseyed, while the applause continued. Eventually, when it died down, Lily said, "You're all free to go!"

People began stampeding for the door, obviously hoping not to have to wait for one of the Thestral-pulled carriages to take them back to Hogwarts. James and Lily made their way off the stage and down to the floor, where people were walking past in droves towards the stairs. James spotted Sirius and Courtney, Remus and Chloe, Harry and Gemma walking past and told them they'd see them tomorrow, as he and Lily still had to do rounds.

People filtered through the doors at the top the stairs until eventually, only he and Lily were left, having been told to clean and lock the place up (with magic of course). When they'd done so, and the hall looked reasonably neat again, they ventured outside into the gardens to get some fresh air before leaving for the castle.

"It's beautiful out here," murmured Lily, looking out onto the many fountains and statues dappled in moonlight. It reminded her of the garden where James's parents' funerals had taken place, with beautiful flowers in bloom everywhere. She turned around to ask him something and saw him standing behind her, grinning, and holding a perfect yellow rose. She smiled in delight and had a whiff of its delicious scent.

"Oh thank you, James!" she cried, her question falling away, forgotten. "It's beautiful."

He smiled exultantly and blushed slightly. Hiding his embarrassment, he looked up, into the crisp night sky. A half-full moon shone back at him, and not a cloud tarnished the inky blackness overhead.

"It's so clear tonight," he said softly.

She smiled at his solicitous state, taking his hand quietly and bringing back to earth. "Come on," she said quietly. They walked slowly towards the side door they'd come through, until James suddenly stopped.

"Wait," he said. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a miniature broom, about two inches long. "We can fly back."

"On that?" she looked at him incredulously. "Sorry, James, but that isn't going to fit us both of there. It isn't going to fit one of us on there."

Ignoring her words, he muttered a resizing spell, and the broom slowly became its normal size again.

She finally understood, and nodded. "Well … okay … but have you had anything to drink today, James?'

He laughed, closing and locking the side entrance door with a few simple spells, before placing the locking spell Dumbledore had given him over the whole hall. The broom was hovering beside Lily, and James walked over, climbing onto the broom.

"Are you coming?" he asked, smiling slightly at the bemused look on her face.

"How do get on in a dress?" she asked him.

"Sit side-saddle," suggested James, and so she did, he hands clasped tightly around his stomach, where she could feel his sculpted muscles as he breathed.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered to her, taking the broom higher slowly.

She swallowed, wondering why she was so nervous. "I trust you," she said, "as long as you don't get us both killed."

He grinned, flying high over the hall, pushing the broom faster and faster; he could feel Lily's grip around him tighten.

"Uh, James?" she said, staring at the ground below them. "Do you think you could go a little slower?" He didn't answer, but she could practically feel him grinning. "I'm not used to going so-" She screamed.

He'd pulled the broom into a loop-the-loop, and her screams faded into the night as he zigzagged and spun the broom around without fear.

* * *

Gemma and Harry lay back on the roof of the astronomy tower, talking about the evening's events, the Invisibility Cloak spread over them like a blanket.

"Did you see Lily and James dancing together at the end?" she asked him, smiling.

"Yeah, grinned Harry. "She even let him slow dance with her."

Gemma laughed happily. "They'll be together before you know it."

He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head softly, pulling her into him. She smiled again, leaning up to kiss him, the stars shining above them, forgotten.

* * *

Lily and James finally made it back to ground, and Lily was more thankful for the earth she stood on than she'd ever been in her entire life.

"James Potter!" she yelled, hitting in the arm. "That's the last time I ever go anywhere on a broom with you."

He laughed, placing his broom in the broom shed as they made their way into the Entrance Hall.

"Come on," he smiled, taking her arm and pulling her towards the stairs. "We've got rounds to do."

The time passed quickly and there weren't too many troublemakers around; only a Hufflepuff sixth-year boy and a Gryffindor sixth-year girl were found, obviously enjoying each other's company. Lily and James quickly sent them back to bed, but both were in such good moods that they let the couple off with warnings.

"I've had a really good time tonight," smiled Lily as they patrolled the very top floor of the castle, having almost finished.

"Me too," said James contentedly as they rounded a corner.

She turned to face him; stepping in front of him; taking his hand. "You've been so good to me, James," she murmured.

He tried to resist closing the gap between them again. Her emerald eyes, swarming with unanswered mysteries, shined up at him with a light he could look at forever. She was so stunning in her simple dress, her hair the perfect fiery red. He smiled at her, squeezing her hand, but saying nothing.

"And I'm so glad we're friends," she finished, hugging him.

He pulled his arms around her, feeling protective of her. "Friends," he repeated. "Yeah." They pulled out of their embrace and he forced a smile. _Friends?_ He wanted to be so much more. But he would wait; she was far too fragile for a relationship just yet. He would never pressure her.

She smiled at him once more and they made their way towards their dorm. They eventually clambered through their portrait-hole, both tired and eager for sleep.

James walked directly for his room, pulling of his bow tie.

"Wait," ordered Lily, hurrying into her room.

"For what?" he asked her, yawning as he walked over to her.

"This," she grinned, pulling out a wizard-camera. "We have to take a picture of us all dressed up."

He laughed, obliging; she snapped a perfect picture of the two of them, smiling and waving.

She pulled out her wand, duplicating the copy. "Here," she offered, handing him one. He grinned at it, watching them in the picture.

"Thanks," he said. He yawned again; louder this time.

"I'll let you go to bed now," she said sheepishly, and he laughed.

"Alright then," he agreed, taking of his jacket and dropping it unceremoniously on the couch. "Good night," he said, smiling at her.

"Good night," she answered, leaning up and kissing him softly on the cheek. She wandered off to her room, smiling at him as she closed her door.

Touching his cheek where she'd kissed it and grinning to himself, James wandered into his room and dropped off into sleep, without even changing his clothes.

* * *

**(A/N: Oh my God- this chapter was 17 Word pages long! Hope you enjoyed it!**

**PS. Dresses are now up on my livejournal- address is at the top!)**


	27. Silence and Spaghetti

**(A/N: Yeah, I'm back, and no, I didn't fall off the face of the earth (promise). I've just been oh-so captivated with other people's stories … sometimes it's just nice to absorb rather than dictate. **

**I took the dresses down from my livejournal a while ago, but if anyone wants to see them, I'll email them to you. Just leave your address in a review and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can.**

**The funny thing about my story is one of the main things that keeps me writing is my desire to write the last chapter. The end is not far from now!)**

**Chapter Twenty-seven: Silence and Spaghetti

* * *

**

Lily awoke the next morning, comfortable and warm in her huge bed. She smiled and stretched languidly, her arms not even reaching the sides of the four-poster. Memories of her perfect evening the night before flooded her mind and she smiled wider still, throwing on a dressing gown as she walked into the common room she shared with James. He was already sitting on the couch, reading the _Daily Prophet_.

"Morning," she said happily, sinking on to a chair opposite him. He turned his face towards her in a brief, silent hello, and a sense of sadness was written all over his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked in immediate concern. She hated to see James so upset. And it happened so often lately.

He threw the newspaper onto the coffee table in front of her. She looked at the title and gasped.

'_Death Eaters Kill Parents of Muggleborns', _stated the _Prophet_. Photos showed damaged homes, burning homes, destroyed homes … the article went on to say, _'Miranda Devuorage, 15, whose parents were killed in the attack, is currently in sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her younger brother, Cameron, 10, was staying at a friend's house on the night in question, and could not recall any suspicious activity around their house or neighborhood in the lead up to the attack …' _The old nightmare came rushing back to Lily … she could smell the smoke … hear the screams … see the glittering green skull in the inky-black sky above her …

"Lily?" asked James, staring at her with concern.

"Oh," she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed. She dropped the paper onto the coffee table again, her breathing shallow, and James impulsively reached out for her hand.

"Are you ok?" he asked, eyebrows drawn together. She took a deep, steadying breath and nodded defiantly. She wouldn't let the nightmare beat her again.

"Dumbledore wants to see us in his office," he continued gingerly. "But if you don't feel-"

"No- I'm fine," she said abruptly, pulling her hand away from his. Straightening her shoulders with determination, she walked back to her room and closed the door. The _click_ that sounded from the door shutting made James feel as though he was being locked out of her mind, and not for the first time. Lily didn't always realise it, but her determination to be independent – to be free – often pushed her friends away from her, however unintentionally.

James rubbed a hand over his tired eyes, standing up slowly, stiffly; he walked quietly toward the kitchen, lost in thought. He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the kitchen bench and sighed dejectedly, walking towards him room. He closed the door, just as Lily had, and flopped onto his bed, eating his apple thoughtfully.

There was so much about her he didn't know, didn't understand. She was always so complex, so hidden … he felt he'd never be able to see past the shutters behind her eyes.

Just now … what had happened? She's been about to pass out … and then she'd just gone. James sighed and rolled over. He'd think about it later.

* * *

Lily tensed and then relaxed as the hot water hit her skin, rolling of in little droplets and showering onto the tiles beneath her. The glass walls surrounding the shower steamed up quickly with the heat, and like she always did, Lily drew little pictures with her fingers… a heart, her name, a face- no expression, just blank. Like her. 

After fifteen minutes in the delicious warmth of the shower, she forced herself out of the water and climbed out, throwing her white, fluffy bathrobe on. She studied herself in the mirror. No different than usual, she thought. Deep red hair, curled on the bottom half and reaching her lower back … emerald-green eyes … pale skin. Even after last night's late bedtime, there was only a hint of a shadow beneath her eyes; a gift she had inherited from her mother. She pulled her hair back into ponytail, a few wisps of hair falling unintentionally, and tied a white ribbon around it.

She made her way back into her room, and feeling the warmth of it, opened her bay window wide, breathing in the morning. Her eyelids rose and feel languidly, a signal to her desire to be content, just for one day. The world and its ways would never allow it to happen… always, there were hearts breaking, always, there was a fissure in her own heart. It had appeared the day her parents had died, and it had yet to repair.

Stepping back, the warm breeze following her, she opened her wardrobe, pulling on a plain green Henley tee that reached her elbows and her favourite jeans. She glanced around her room, saw her Vitalité necklace on her nightstand and tied it around her neck before entering the common room again, grabbing a bowl, milk and cereal from the cupboards. She poured herself a bowl and wandered over to James' door. She raised her hand to knock as the door opened.

He looked up at her, good humour restored again, and smiled, almost convincingly. He held an apple core in his hand.

"Want some cereal? I can't really be bothered going down to the Great Hall," said Lily, smiling at James apologetically. He nodded, his eyes appreciative, and they sat down together in front of the breakfast bar bench. She handed him the box of cereal and they were soon sitting in a comfortable silence, chewing in quiet contemplation.

Lily spooned a large heap of cereal in her mouth – her spoon sizes were always much bigger than James', who took smaller bites but ate faster – and made a face. She pulled her wand out from her pocket, casting a spell under the table as quietly as she could. She just couldn't seem to get the hang of non-verbal magic when it came to food; she knew James would tease her no end if he knew. He, of course, could perform perfect non-verbal magic and his wandless magic skills were highly commended among the teachers. But, unfortunately for her, he heard her whisper and a slight mocking smile arose to his lips.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" he asked, eyebrows raised slightly. Lily scowled and dropped her gaze, a blush across her cheeks.

"No," she said defiantly, a little quicker than she'd hoped. He laughed softly and she frowned again, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin.

"Oh, shut up," she snapped, and he laughed louder.

"If you wanted sugar on your cereal, you could have just asked, Lils," said James, holding the sugar bowl up in front of her face. Her face became hot with anger, and as she opened her mouth to retort snippily, she found herself giggling along of with him.

"Oh, shut _up_," she repeated. "So what if I can't perform non-verbal magic on food? All my other non-verbal spells are perfect, thank you."

He laughed, warm, whooping laughter that warmed her too, and she felt slightly less embarassed.

"I know it is," he conceded. "I'll help you make your food magic perfect, too, if you want?" He looked slightly nervous for some reason, and seemed to be searching her eyes for something.

"Actually… I'd like that." She smiled at him, somewhat shyly, and for no apparent reason at all, she felt a sickening sensation in her stomach.

"Okay," said James, looking rather pale, his voice barely above a whisper. They were looking straight at each other, their eyes locked together. There a serene energy to the room, a silent calmness.

"Uh- what- what time did you say we had to see Dumbledore?" asked Lily, finally averting her eyes, and focusing on her spoon as though her life depended on it. She thought she heard him sigh to himself, then shook her head, knowing she must be mistaken.

"Half-past nine," he said, finishing his breakfast and dumping his bowl in the sink on the bench. She looked at her watch, saw that it was already 9:25, and finished her own meal, before they left together.

* * *

The hallways were fairly devoid of other students, testimony to the night before. Lily and James only saw two other students on their walk; a fourth-year Hufflepuff girl, who blushed brazenly when James nodded at her, and a fellow seventh-year Slytherin named Augustus Rookwood, who James was fairly was an alliance of Snape's. He couldn't call them friends; Slytherins would never know the true bonds of friendship; they only tolerated each other in an effort to further their own aims. 

They arrived at their Headmaster's – now guardian's – office just as the clock ticked over to 9:30 am. James and Lily climbed the staircase and James knocked on the door as they reached it. It slid open with a quiet _thunk_.

"Ah, Lily, James. Come in," said Dumbledore, a strained smile appearing on his features. They sat in their normal seats in front of his desk, the ones which had become so familiar lately.

"I'm sure you are aware of the upsurge of attacks as of late," said Dumbledore simply, looking squarely at them both. "And as you are both now members of the Order, I feel it is about time you were made aware of our most recent developments."

Unconsciously, Lily and James moved forward simultaneously, their curiosity instantly spiked.

"Last night's attack was one of Voldemort's more favoured methods, concentrating on Muggleborns' parents; it involves minimal effort and maximum destruction, due to the lack of awareness on the part of the Muggle's part." Lily's face hardened slightly, the shutters closing behind her eyes; Dumbledore noticed. "Forgive me, Miss Evans. You may not like what I am going to tell-"

"I'm fine," she stated abruptly, squaring her shoulders slightly.

He nodded and continued. "As I was saying, Voldemort has used this method numerous times, highlighting his tendencies to attack the innocent and unable. This is the method he employed last night – he sent out a few of the Death Eaters in his Inner Circle to perform the attack, and appears to have chosen his victims at random."

"But how can that be, sir?" asked James, frowning slightly. "How does he know which Muggles have children at Hogwarts, or in the magical world?"

"And thus we arrive at the crux of the problem, James," said Dumbledore, peering at him over his half-moon glasses in the penetrating stare he had received many times. "It seems the Ministry of Magic has a spy within its ranks. Only the Ministry holds the information regarding Muggleborns and their parents, including whereabouts."

"Who would have access to the information, sir?" asked James quickly. "Only a handful of employees in each department have access to the main files of their separate work areas. Surely we must be able to narrow it down using employment lists?"

"Very good, James," acknowledged Dumbledore, smiling at him. "Your parents would be proud." James' chest tightened in what he almost thought to be the customary reaction to any mention of his parents; in spite of this, though, he saw the truth in the man's words.

"Yeah," he said, half-smiling, "they would."

Dumbledore chuckled to himself softly. "In short, we have narrowed it down to seven possible employees." He waved his wand and – in perfect non-verbal magic, noted James – seven separate files appeared on the desk before him. James picked up the top one.

"Roland Veneta," he read aloud. A picture of a bald, rather-plain looking man with glasses and a red tie (clashing horrible with a pale-pink shirt) looked meekly back at him, round eyes darting around nervously, in the wizard photo opposite the name. "Talk about edgy," he muttered, placing the file back on the desk.

"Every Order member has a copy of these files," said Dumbledore, "and as of yet, every Order member has drawn a blank as to who the perpetrator might be. I would like for you two to take a look and inform me if you notice anything – unusual."

James and Lily both nodded, and as Dumbledore rose before they did the same, understanding themselves to be dismissed. They left quickly, the files stowed in a bag James had conjured, which now rested over his shoulder.

"I can't believe this, our first Order assignment," mused James, turning it over slowly in his mind. Lily merely sighed. He looked at her as though she was mad, then realised how pale she seemed.

"Why aren't you – uh, Lily? Are you okay?" he asked, frowning slightly as they reached the door to their dorm.

"I'm fine," she snapped angrily, turning away and speaking the password quickly, hurrying straight into her room. James' eyes bulged, then rolled.

"Girls and their hormones," he muttered to himself, returning to his own room.

* * *

The next few days passed quickly. James and Lily found themselves once more on a normal classroom schedule, with their usual mountains of homework and scarcely any time to work on the case study Dumbledore had assigned. 

Harry found himself relishing the time spent in James and Lily's Defence Against the Dark Arts class. After the initial scare of first duel, Harrod seemed to respect Harry's opinion and continually growing power, often calling on Harry to voice his thoughts, which he found he quite liked. All the study he had put into the DA last year seemed to have a positive affect on his grades which he quite liked. And his power seemed to be getting stronger every day, and he found himself attempting more and more complicated spells – usually with success. He was amazed, though it did scare him sometimes. Once he had attempted to levitate a box of Chocolate Frogs from his bedside table to where he was sitting on the ground without thinking, and it had crashed into the ceiling, leaving a crack so large _Reparo_ would not fix it.

Remus was studying a lot – even more than usual – now that he had Chloe to study with. They were getting on well… very well, it seemed to the other Marauders, who snuck into the library once under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak to jokingly spy on their friend.

"You might want to come up for air soon, mate," Sirius could resist whispering in Remus' ear, just before they snuck off again.

Gemma and Harry were also happy. While they found it continuously harder to find time together, due to both of their study commitments often conflicting, what little time together they did have they cherished, making the most of every moment.

James began to enjoy the company of his friends once again. He became more like the old James; more laughing was heard, more bad jokes told, even a harmless prank or two played, though he did not play the leading role he used to. No, Sirius now took care of that (he claimed James was far too busy with his Head duties, and besides, James must just be jealous of his superior pranking skills whenever he asked why this was – which was often).

All in all, everyone seemed quite contented. Except for one.

* * *

She sighed. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed the Charms work would not agree to let her focus on it. It was the same with Potions. She was usually an adept hand at Potions, never needing to check textbooks for quantities or answers, but lately she doubted herself more and more, often diving into her bag to check the dosage of the ingredients in front of her. Lily frowned. Nothing seemed to be coming quite as easily to her these days. 

She sighed again, standing up abruptly from the desk where countless textbooks, quills, parchments and potion vials hid its surface. Her stomach grumbled protest and she made her way to the kitchen, looking around her as she did. Her eyes caught on the mirror beside the door and she gasped.

Her hand found its way to the _Vitalité_ necklace as she stared into the surface. That couldn't be her face – could it? The hair was lank and straggly, looking dull and unwashed, though she had in fact washed it the night before. Make up barely concealed the dark circles beneath her eyes and contrasted the pale face, prompting a gaunt, haunted look from her once vibrant face. She even looked thinner, though she had always been slim. She couldn't believe she'd let it get this bad. She diverted her eyes, her hand falling to her side and then pushing open the door quietly. She'd think about it later.

She reached for the cupboard, ravenous with hunger, wondering what she should eat. There was candy and chocolate, but she didn't feel up to eating it. She looked at the higher shelves and saw a packet of Wizard heat-and-eat spaghetti bolognaise. She pulled it down, placed it on the counter and performed a cooking spell on it, muttering it as quietly as possible, as was by now, a way of habit.

"Lily?" asked a voice from the common room in front of her. She stifled a scream of shock and peered out in the darkness, just managing to make out a scruffy-haired head in front of her.

"James?" she wondered aloud, pointing at the lamp, a flame alighting in seconds. A deep glow filled the room.

"Who else would it be?" he asked, looking at her rather weirdly, and she blushed. He had a point.

"I meant," she stammered, "what are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, pulling himself up from the couch.

She rolled her eyes as he walked towards her. "Are you going to answer my questions at all tonight, or what?"

He smirked and sat at the breakfast bar across from her. "I fell asleep," he said simply, brushing his hair back from his hazel eyes. "But more importantly, what are _you_ doing? Most people don't eat dinner at-" he checked his watch "-12:05 at night," he announced, fixing her with a sharp stare.

"I was studying and I missed dinner, I guess," she said, shrugging uncomfortably under his gaze. "Do you want some?"

"Sure," said James. "I missed it too." He grinned at her and she laughed for what felt like the first time in days.

"Spaghetti bolognaise or napolitano linguini?" she asked him, pulling the options out.

"Bolognaise," he said instantly. "My favourite."

"Mine too," she smiled, setting his on the counter beside hers and spoke the warming charm. She heard him stifle a laugh and hit him in the arm. "Shut up," she said, then laughed herself. She was feeling better already.

As they waited for their meals to cook, they sat in a comfortable silence – not a hint of awkwardness. She liked that about him. He respected her thoughts and she tried to do the same in return. A small _pop_ resonated in the air as Lily's dinner finished warming. She pulled it towards her, peeling off the top, and was about to take a bite of it when a fork dived in before hers could.

"James!" she berated him, and he grinned again, a trail of sauce on his chin.

"I couldn't help it," he protested. "It smelled so good… and you were taking so long to eat it."

She giggled. It did smell good. The perfect combination of spaghetti, sauce, cheese and herbs -

"Exactly like my mum used to make," she said, smiling sadly. He studied her face for a moment in quiet reflection, watching her beauty expose itself to all as the shutters behind her eyes lifted for the first time since their meeting with Dumbledore.

"Lily," he said hesitantly, "is anything wrong? You seem a bit – a bit upset, lately."

"I'm fine," she said abruptly, standing just as suddenly. "I – I'm not that hungry anymore-"

"Stop running away, Lily," he said quietly, looking her straight in the eye.

She felt tears brimming swiftly, unsure where they were coming from, struggling to hold them back. "Nothing's wrong," she murmured, "I'm fine."

He looked unconvinced and frowned at her. "Why are crying, then?"

"I'm not crying!" she yelled, her voice betraying her, shaking as tears coursed down her face. She wiped them away hastily, angrily.

"Is it something to do with the Order? Because ever since that meeting-"

Tears poured from her eyes and her shoulders shook, her breathing coming shortly.

"Ah," he said quietly, sounding almost like Dumbledore. "If you're not sure about joining any more, Lily, you should just talk to Dumbledore."

"I am sure," she cried shakily, gripping the back of her chair for support. "I want to fight him. I want to take him down. I want to make him pay for – for what he did to me, and my parents, and everyone else…"

"So do I, Lils," said James, his eyes focusing on her eyes solemnly. "That's why we joined, right? But if it's not that – is it the case? Do you know something?"

She took a shuddering breath, letting out the anguish she'd been holding in for days. "Do you realise – that – that one of those seven people is the reason why my parents are dead?"

His eyes widened, but he fought hastily to regain his composure. "I know, Lils," he lied, "that's why we're going to get them. Right? He has to be stopped. We can do it. You know we can."

She looked at him, eyes pleading silently, before moving towards him in an unmistakable gesture. James held out his arms and she fell into them, gripping his shoulders with all her strength, sobbing in anguish into his hard chest. His arms tightened around her tiny frame and she cried harder. He felt himself force back tears of his own as he thought of his parents.

She felt so safe in his strong, capable arms, even as she let out her emotions she usually fought so hard to keep to herself. James was right, she realised, they could do this. They had to.

After awhile, her tears bean to subside and she looked up at him, grateful but embarassed at the same time. He smiled at her as she wiped the tears away.

"Do you - do you feel a bit better?"

"Yeah," she said, sitting back down in her chair and pulling her hair off her face. She faced her dinner again, realizing it was, by some minor miracle – or more correctly, magic – still as warm as ever. James' was ready too, though neither of them had heard the _pop_ that showed it was prepared. They sat once again in quiet contentment, and Lily felt better than she had all week.

James slurped up a long strand of spaghetti, sauce going all over his chin and mouth. She giggled, tossing a napkin at him from the stand on the bench near her seat. He grinned gratefully, mopping up his face as they both finished off.

Lily yawned as she stood up, leaving her meal on the counter. She usually would have felt bad about not cleaning and leaving it to the house elves, but she was so tired suddenly and knew they loved doing it anyway. James stood up to and they made their way to their rooms, both yawning sporadically and walking rather slowly.

"Thanks, James," said Lily earnestly, smiling up at him.

A faint red tinge appeared on his cheeks and Lily smiled wider. Reaching up, she hugged him for a second and smiled once more. "Goodnight."

He smiled too, a hand of his door. "Goodnight, Lily."

She made her way straight to her bed, not bothering to change into her pyjamas and only taking off her shoes and robes. She climbed in, pulling the blankets up around her, practically burying herself in the warmth. Smiling to herself, she thought of her night with James… she could still feel his hands on her back as she fell asleep.

* * *

**Hope I can a new chapter up soon. Reviews very much appreciated. **


	28. Deliverance

**(A/N: Back again! Sorry about the wait between chapters! But get ready, because this chapter, the next chapter and, of course, the last chapter, will all be very packed with (interesting?) developments. Hold on to your seats, kids, for the most drawn out climax ever!)

* * *

**

**Previously:**

"_Gemma, come on!" shouted Harry as they ran through the long hallway that stretched through her huge mansion. "He's coming this way! We have to get out of here!"_

"_I'm - coming-" she panted. "I just have to find… this!" She seized a piece of paper off the desk of the office she'd stopped in. Harry didn't take much notice of the document; instead, he captured her hand in his, practically dragging her down the hall way. Smoke was beginning to filter in through the windows of the mansion, and both of them were coughing. Still running, Gemma lead Harry to the nearest exit of the mansion, and they finally burst outside where a ferocious storm was stirring. Thunder clapped overhead and was close to coinciding with the lightning above them._

**Chapter Twenty-eight: Deliverance

* * *

**

"It's not Tanham, Ridgeway or McCarthy," stated James, shuffling through the individual folders on the coffee table before them, "as all the time logs show that they weren't on Ministry property at the time Dumbledore thinks the records were stolen."

"What do you mean? What's a time log?" asked Lily.

"It keeps track of every time a witch or wizard employee enters or leaves the Ministry – for monetary and security reasons. It uses an imprint of the employee's magic to keep track or something. I don't really understand them that well – my dad tried to explain them to me once, but I was always really bored by that kind of thing."

Lily frowned, glancing at the photos of the three, her legs curled up underneath her. Two men, one woman, all relatively normal looking – or at least as normal as you could get in a world of dragons flying broomsticks – none of them looked anywhere near as nervous as Roland Veneta did in his own photo. Each seemed cool and collected, staring blankly at where the camera would have been positioned originally. They reminded Lily somewhat of muggle passport photos, where smiling was not encouraged. "It's not like those time logs couldn't have been tampered with, though," she argued.

"Actually, they couldn't have. The Ministry keeps strict tabs on those things. There are only two people in the whole building who have access to those files, and every employee in the building reports there every time they come in and go out. Plus, those two employee's background checks are just as strict as an Auror's. There's no way one of them could have been Imperiused, either. The pupil's in a person's eye-"

"-start to jag after prolonged Imperius use, I know. But _two _people for the entireMinistry personnel?" repeated Lily incredulously. "That's like – like -"

"Two people for three thousand employees? Yeah, my dad used to hate the rush hours." James ran a hand through his hair, absently flicking through the files once more.

"So, aside from the fact that the records department is seriously understaffed, only two people in the Ministry have access to the files – hang on a minute!" she stated, blowing a few wisps of hair out of her face. "How the hell did we get ahold of them, then?"

"Because," said James, grinning, "of one Dedulas Diggle, Dumbledore's ace in the hole."

"I know him! He was at the last Order meeting, wasn't he? _He_ works in the Department of Records?"

"Yep," James confirmed. "McGonagall thinks he's a right old harper, I could tell, but he sure has got the connections we need."

"Excellent," murmured Lily, browsing once more the time log they had attained. "Okay… it says here Veneta, Jameson, Carter and Lindbergh were all present on the day before the files were reported missing, while Tanham, Ridgeway and McCarthy had their day's off. Everyone, barring Tanham, was present the day the files were reported missing."

"We need to find out what exact time they were believed to have been taken, so we can narrow the field further," declared James. He stretched out on his armchair, dropping the files he was holding onto the coffee table. He yawned loudly and stood. "Come on, Lily. My brain's screaming for a break. Besides," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall above them, "it's time for dinner."

Lily frowned again, staring down at the folders for what felt like the millionth time, and sighed angrily in frustration.

It seemed as though James had read her mind. "Lils," he said, his tone dramatically softer than had been before, "it's okay. We'll get them… whoever it was… whoever's doing this… they'll get what's coming to them."

She raised her eyes slowly to meet his; searching them, she saw only a fiery determination, anger and… something that looked like… no, she couldn't place it, exactly. Shrugging it off, she smiled weakly and stood, and together they left their common room.

* * *

Gemma grinned across at Harry over the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, laughing as he struggled to remove a stubborn streak of pasta sauce from his cheek. He scowled good-naturedly at her, trying in vain to wipe it away. 

"Could you just get it off?" he huffed, giving up as she barely suppressed giggles of absolute mirth. She smirked once more and nodded, standing up slightly to finally remove the stain from his face.

"It's gone," she told him, and the smile he had been trying to contain broke free. He poked his tongue out at her and she blew a kiss at him.

"How sickeningly cute," commented Sirius as he and Remus clambered down onto seats beside them (Peter had detention with Professor McGonagall after earning a 'troll' mark on his latest Transfiguration paper). Gemma rolled her eyes, still laughing, while Harry punched Sirius in the arm.

"Ow!" he yelped, rubbing his arm where Harry had hit him. "You are way too much like James," he muttered under his breath.

"I was thinking he was more like Lily, actually," said Remus conversationally. "Especially when he and Gemma get all… _playful-" _he shuddered as he said the word, as though it were some sort of highly contagious disease – "he reminds of what Lily was like… before…" his voice fell away and solemn silence descended upon them momentarily.

"Hey guys," said James, announcing his and Lily's presence, making them all jump. Lily and James eyed them all weirdly momentarily, before they both laughed at their friends' odd behaviour. They sat down opposite Remus and Sirius, helping themselves to the food before them.

"Where are Kelly and Tammie?" James asked the others at large, through a mouthful of hot chips. Lily and Gemma shared a look that plainly suggested both were restraining themselves from rolling their eyes.

"Tammie's in the library," offered Remus. "I passed her on my way out."

"Ooh," mocked Sirius, smirking. "Did you have another 'study break' with Chloe, perhaps?"

"Shut up," snapped Remus.

"Tetchy, tetchy," quipped Sirius, grinning at Harry. Harry ducked his head to hide his own smirk.

"And what about Kelly?" intervened Lily, pointedly directing her question to Gemma.

"She's having dinner with John, over at the Ravenclaw table," said Gemma, pointing to where Kelly sat next John, laughing happily. Alice and Frank were across from them, sitting rather close.

Lily nudged James. "They're holding hands!" she whispered, indicating to where Frank and Alice's hand were entwined beneath the table top. James and Lily both grinned at them, elated for the new couple.

Gemma kicked Harry under the table, smirking at him and dipping her head to where Lily and James watched the Ravenclaw table, oblivious to the four pairs of eyes upon.

* * *

Dinner was a late affair that night and the six of them were some of the last to leave the Hall, after enjoying a languid dessert of chocolate mud cake and treacle tart. Finally, though, Remus left to return to the library to finish a paper for Potions (as it turned out, he and Chloe really _hadn't_ spent any time working), Gemma and Harry decided to 'visit' the Astronomy Tower (James tried his best not to hear that particular part of the conversation, but unfortunately gathered the gist of it), Sirius had a 'meeting of the minds' (everyone present snorted with indignation) with Courtney, while Lily and James appeared to be the only ones not getting any… er, _action_, as Sirius termed it – they had rounds to do. 

"How did you go on that Defense homework?" James asked her as they walked through the eastern corridor of the fifth floor, passing a statue of Nigel the Neurotic.

"It wasn't overly hard," said Lily. "Just a few tricky questions on the Telekinetic Charm."

"Yeah, I thought so too," James replied. "But why are we studying the Telekinetic Charm in Defense? We already covered it in Charms NEWT."

"Don't you remember - oh, that's right, you weren't there… Harry used it against Spencer in one of the duels in Harrow's class last week. Harrow's practically ready to marry him now," she said, only just remembering herself.

"That was when we – I mean, I…" his voice trailed off, a lump rising in his throat.

"Yeah." Her tone was muted, hiding her emotions as best she could… but the shields that hid her eyes so often only barely subdued them.

A bang from a closet near them, followed by a muffled giggle, broke the tension.

"Merlin, Sirius," muttered James under his breath, striding towards where the offenders were currently housing themselves. With one hand in front of his eyes, he expertly found the doorknob (James was an old hand at handling Sirius' escapades by now) and pulled it open.

"Dad!" yelped a voice from the closet. Lily gasped and peeked her head into the closet. James moved his hand from his eyes momentarily to confirm that it was, in fact, his son and his childhood friend sheltering themselves next to tins of Flesh-Eating Slug Repellant and a crate of confiscated Fanged Frisbees, before replacing his hand in order to obscure his vision once more. He then turned on his heel, marched away from the scene and promptly smacked into Nigel the Neurotic – not that the others took much notice. Harry stared back at both his parents in apparent shock, his mouth hanging slightly open in surprise, while Gemma grinned sheepishly up at Lily, biting her lip.

Lily couldn't help herself. "Looks like you didn't make it to the Astronomy Tower, then," she smirked.

James gasped in indignation and disgust. "Lily!" he howled from the floor, Nigel's broken-off marble nose on his lap. "That's – just… gross!"

"Oh, get over it, James," admonished Gemma, pulling out her wand to reattach Nigel's nose. "I've lost count of how many times I've found you in broom closets with girls. Go drink some Tickle Paint or something."

Both Lily and Harry turned to him, with identical looks of half-knowing, half-reproving looks, each with their left eyebrows raised.

James turned red, looking like a dog with its tail between its hind legs. "Come on, Lily," he muttered. "We've got to finish our rounds."

Gemma and Harry's laughter followed them around the corner as they turned into the northern wing of the fifth floor and proceeded up the nearest moving flight of stairs to the sixth floor. James' face still burnt with indignation. Lily laughed. He looked kinda cute.

"Oh, quit sulking James," said Lily, her smile a mile wide. "You know what Gemma said was perfectly true."

"Yeah, well, it used to apply to you too, not so long ago," snapped James, before he realised what he said. He sucked in a quick breath, preparing to apologise immediately. "I – I didn't mea- I'm sorr-"

"That's true," Lily interrupted her voice completely calm. James looked at her in surprise, his eyes watching hers carefully.

"I _was_ like that once. But I'm not anymore," she said simply, smiling slightly at him. "And you don't have to be either."

"I'm not!" he defended himself automatically, though he was still slightly shocked at her behaviour. Where once she would have run away, she now was calm and honest – she was more at peace with herself than she had been in the longest time – James could tell. "I mean," he stammered, trying to think of evidence to support his claims, "I don't _want_ to be that guy anymore."

Lily looked surprised momentarily, before a soft smile enhanced her normally pretty features to an enigmatic gorgeousness. James felt fleetingly breathless, and he smiled himself. Lily could see that same look in his eyes that she hadn't been able to identify earlier once more.

"You've grown up, James," she said, rather tenderly.

His smile was arresting as he stared down at her from his six-foot height advantage. "I know," he said simply.

* * *

The next morning (a Saturday, thankfully) saw Lily and James return once more to their work on the Order case. It took only a few minutes, settled again on the couches in front of the warm fire (it was unusually cold and rainy for late September), for them to realise that they were making no headway whatsoever. 

"We need to find out what time the documents were stolen," said James, echoing his own words from the night before.

"I know, James," said Lily through her teeth. She sighed frustratedly. "Why don't we just ask Dumbledore if he knows?"

James looked up, confused and surprised. "Yeah," he concurred, "why don't we?"

It was such a simple idea that neither had any idea why it hadn't occurred to them before. And so they left their common room together once more (they did seem to be doing a lot together these days) and headed for their guardian's quarters.

* * *

Harry awoke late that Saturday morning, as he and Gemma had – er – continued their night out into the early hours of the morning. He rolled over in his bed and yawned loudly, hardly noting that he was the only one left in the dormitory. He still felt drained and in need of sleep – he felt like he hadn't slept a wink since his return to his bed at 3:30 am. Pulling the pillow low over his eyes to block out the harsh sunlight filtering through the windows, he rolled over again and closed his eyes. 

"Hey!" said an indignant voice, loudly. _Much _too loudly, in his opinion. He grumbled and lifted the pillow slightly to see the perpetrator of this attack (his brain's voice recognition didn't work without the necessary sleep requirements), but before he could identify them, his attacker jumped onto his bed beside him.

"That better not be you, Padfoot," mumbled Harry, before turning and facing Gemma.

She scoffed indignantly from her positions beside him on the bed. "Thanks a lot!"

"I'm not serious," he said, tickling her, a wicked grin replacing the tired lines on his face.

"No, that would be me," said Sirius, poking his head around the dorm door with a silly smile. Harry and Gemma groaned simultaneously.

"You are so _lame,"_ said Harry, throwing a pillow at him.

Sirius side-stepped it and smirked. "You kids have fun today," he said. "Uncle Remus and I off to Hogsmeade. All this being-shut-up-in-a-huge-and-highly-boring-castle has given me a sugar tooth."

Gemma looked cross, though Harry didn't notice. "Get me some Sugar Quills while you're there, then," he said, tossing Sirius a galleon from his bedside table.

"Harry! You're condoning this?" said Gemma, furious.

"What? It's just Hogsmeade."

"Voldemort was there hardly a _week_ ago. It's not safe!" she scolded.

"You mean you don't know?" said Harry, surprised. "Gem, there are seven secret passageways out of the castle into Hogsmeade. One leads right into the Honeydukes cellar."

"Exactly," said Sirius from the doorway, nodding his head emphatically. "The owners know us. They love us. Give us free stuff all the time. And besides, do you think Remus would agree to go if there was even the _slightest_ chance something would go wrong?"

"It's not as if Voldemort would strike in the same place twice within two weeks of the first attack," reasoned Harry. "He may be thick, but he's not that stupid."

Gemma knew when to concede defeat. "In that case, then," she said, "get me a packet of Jelly Slugs."

* * *

"So we were wondering, Sir, if you had any idea what time the documents containing the information concerning the muggleborn families' whereabouts were stolen?" James asked Dumbledore. He and Lily were seated in their now-familiar seats in the Headmaster's office, where they had just finished explaining their developments in the case so far. 

"I'm afraid I don't," admitted Professor Dumbledore, his hands clasped, as usual, on the desk in front of him.

Lily let out a sigh of frustration she couldn't contain. Dumbledore looked at her with something like well-concealed pity. He knew this case was taking its toll on her rather heavily, and had debated with himself many times before finally handing the documents over to his Head students. He realised it was hard for her to go through this process, but also knew it was the only way she would find respite from the guilt she harboured over her parents' death.

"However," he continued, "I see no harm in the two of you finding out."

Lily frowned slightly, thinking it over. "What do you mean, Sir?"

"I suggest you pay a visit to the Ministry of Magic, Lily," he told her. Lily smiled at the use of her given name; she felt closer to the Headmaster with every passing day.

"But we don't have visitor passes," intervened James.

"I daresay I'll be able to rustle up a few. You seem to have forgotten my considerable influence, James," smiled Dumbledore. "I will contact Dedulas Diggle to see if he can speak to you straight away, if you don't mind waiting a few minutes."

"Of course not," offered Lily, relieved that they were at last making some headway.

Dumbledore smiled and Fawkes the phoenix glided over to where his owner sat and perched on the wizened man's shoulder. "I will return momentarily," said Dumbledore. A flash of fire engulfed Dumbledore and Fawkes suddenly… and then, just like that, they were gone.

"Wow," muttered, Lily, her eyes wide.

"I'll never get used to that," said James, shaking his head.

* * *

Sirius stood inside Honeydukes, chewing thoughtfully on the newest candy to be produced, Lime Lycanthropes. "They're good," he said to Remus, "I'm gonna get some." 

Remus held up the green sweet between his thumb and forefinger, staring disdainfully as the tiny werewolf tried to nip on his palm. "The joke's kind of lost on me, funnily enough," he announced, handing it to Sirius.

A flash of fire resonated out on the street before them, though neither Sirius nor Remus noticed.

"Oh, check these out!" exclaimed Sirius excitedly, motioning to his friend. "They're called Hyper Hippogriffs," he said, popping a blue one in his mouth, "the label says it makes you hallucinate and-" something out on the street caught his eye. Looking up from the packaging of the Hippogriffs sweets, he looked out onto the Hogsmeade street and straight into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Shocked, Sirius watched as the giant bird perched on Dumbledore's shoulder took flight into the greying skies; Dumbledore looked back at him, winked once at Sirius's incredulous face and turned on his heel, disappearing into thin air.

Sirius stared for a few more seconds before glancing once more at the package in his hand. "Wow!" he cried out to Remus, thrusting the Hyper Hippogriffs at him. "These things really work!"

* * *

Dumbledore returned to his office, just as he had promised, only a few minutes later and with Ministry visitor passes in hand. "There you are," he said to Lily and James, handing them a pass each (Fawkes swayed rather precariously on his shoulder). "Although I think I gave Mr Black a bit of a shock. I stopped in Hogsmeade to apparate to the Ministry and he happened to spot me through the window of Honeydukes, where he and Mr Lupin were enjoying some taste-testing, I think." 

Lily and James both laughed. "Why did you apparate, Sir? Couldn't you just use Fawkes to get to the ministry?"

"I could, but I dislike traveling in that manner, highly useful as it is. It gives me the sensation of my flesh crawling, and although the feeling of being squeezed through the tube is not without its discomforts, I prefer to apparate whenever possible." He stood briskly, and Lily and James followed suit. "Now, you have clearance to floo in using my fireplace, but Dedulas is expecting you straight away, so I think it best not to keep him waiting." He took a handful of floo powder from the pot above his fireplace and sprinkled it over the fire. The flames turned a venomous green and Lily blanched. She'd always hated flooing.

James stepped up to the fire – rather hesitantly, Lily noticed – and cried, "Ministry of Magic, Gate 3!" as Dumbledore had advised. Lily followed, trapped by the spinning waves of magic around her. Just before she was sure she would succumb to the nauseous feeling growing in her stomach, she shot out of the fireplace at the other end, coughing and stumbling.

James was in front of her, soot blackening his face. He reached out a grimy hand and pulled her to a stop. She straightened up and looked around.

Lily had never been to t he Ministry of Magic; she'd only ever seen pictures. She stood, transfixed, by the atrium's beauty, watching as the Fountain of Magical Breathen bubbled with crystal clear water, shooting from the witch and wizard's wands, the tip of the goblin's hat, from both of the house elf's ears and the tip of the centaur's arrow. James looked utterly unimpressed, though Lily expected this was due to his parents having worked here for most of their professional lives – it would get quite boring after awhile, she reasoned.

James and Lily both jumped as someone apparated suddenly only a few feet from them. A harassed looking wizard, with his briefcase in hand, started immediately for the elevators down the hall. Lily thought he looked somewhat familiar -

"Mr Morredale!" exclaimed James. The wizard turned around and Lily saw that it _was_ Gemma's father; he looked at the both of them in surprise. His face soon turned to delight.

"James! Lily!" he said, hurrying over to shake their hands. Lily now remembered her brief meeting with Gemma's father at James' parents' funeral the week prior.

"How are you holding up?" he asked James, an anxious, very fatherly look crossing his face.

"I'm getting there," he said quietly, a sad smile stirring his features. Mr Morredale's eyes surveyed him closely for a second before he turned them to Lily, apparently satisfied with James' well being. "What are you two doing here?"

"Order work," replied Lily, her voice dropping.

"Although, we could ask you the same question," smiled James. "I thought you never worked Saturdays?"

"I'm actually here for the same reason – although I'm working a different case to the one you are – you two are investigating the Department of Records, aren't you?" They nodded their response. "I thought so. Dumbledore did mention he was having trouble with that one."

"That's why we're here," answered Lily. "We're meeting Dedulas Diggle to ask him some things about the time sheets."

"Well, I won't keep you waiting then," Mr Morredale said pleasantly. "Although… could you two do me a favour and ask Gemma to send me something through the post?"

"Sure," said James. "What is it?"

"Gemma will know. Tell her she was doing the right thing by taking it with her as she left, but now we need it back." He smiled at their confused expressions and waved as he began to walk away once more. "And make sure she only sends it with Griffyn!" He called, referring to Gemma's owl. He waved once more and disappeared.

James shook his head slightly, smiling, and he and Lily started towards the information desk. A bored-looking brunette witch sat behind it, twisting a purple quill between her fingers while another one, pink this time, rested behind her ear.

"Good morning and welcome to the Ministry of Magic," she intoned when she saw them in front of her, as if by habit. "How can I help you?"

"We're looking for the Records Department," said James confidently.

"Fifth floor, Mordicus Egg corridor," she said quickly, before losing interest in them and turning back to her quill. Lily recognized the name from a library book she had once read called _The Philosophy of the Mundane: Why Muggles Prefer Not to Know_.

_How ironic,_ she thought sardonically, though hardly amused at all.

"Which office is Dedulas Diggle's?" James asked, knowing how easy it would be to find themselves lost if they didn't know exactly where they going.

"You're looking for Diggle? Well, why didn't you just _say_ so?" she snapped irritably, and Lily and James both jumped. "He's just over _there,"_ she huffed, thrusting her quill out at a booth on the opposite side of the atrium, where a graying wizard sat behind a desk, looking at his watch. He randomly picked up some papers off his desk and shuffled them violently; they scattered on to the floor in front of them and he stood up hurriedly, running to the front of the desk and grabbing at them. He looked around hastily to see if anyone was looking before tucking them under his arm and making his way to back to his seat.

Lily and James were both instantly weirded out. "I can see what McGonagall meant," muttered James. Lily raised her eyebrows at him and they made their way across the atrium, leaving the indignant witch behind them.

Diggle appeared to be staring into space as they approached.

"Uh… Mr Diggle?" Lily questioned, tentatively. He snapped his head around to see them and jumped, before standing once more.

"Lily? James?" He asked in hushed tones. At their nodding, he proceeded to usher them in behind the desk. Looking around once to see if they were being watched, Diggle practically shoved them through a door behind the desk and into a small, dimly-lit room.

Diggle watched them intently, his eyes never leaving them. Evidently, it was up to them to open the conversation.

"Er – why aren't you a part of Records Department, on the fifth floor?" asked Lily hesitantly, uncomfortably aware of his constant gaze.

"Think about it," he told her, his voice edgy. "Three thousand employees expected to use four lifts between them to get to the fifth floor and back up here to get home? No, it was just more convenient this way."

Lily didn't quite know what to say, so instead just nodded, feeling rather trapped in the small room.

"We were wondering, Sir," said James, steering the conversation expertly back to the task at hand, "if you could help us obtain some information for an Order assignment."

Diggle eyed him warily. "What kind of information?"

"We need to know when the documents regarding muggleborn witches and wizards' parents were stolen," countered Lily.

"That's highly classified information!" exclaimed Diggle, eyes wide. "Do you know the kind of repercussions I could be subjected to if anyone find out I'd told someone outside Ministry personnel?" He hurried to the door suddenly, and, yanking it open, poked his head out, looked around twice and retracted his head.

_McGonagall was _definitely_ right about this nutter,_ James thought, hardly keeping a look of apprehensive incredulity from his face.

"Dumbledore wants this information," stated Lily firmly, as Diggle turned back to them. "He _needs_ it. It's the only we can solve the case."

Diggle looked uneasy momentarily, before apparently making up his mind. "Fine," he growled. "But you tell _no one_ of this. And once I give you the information, you leave. Straight away!"

James and Lily nodded, both glad to be finally getting some answers.

"Right," said Diggle gruffly. "I'll be back in a minute. _Don't go anywhere."_

They nodded once more, and Diggle opened the door to leave. They watched him through a crack in the door as he crossed the atrium, heading for the elevators, greeting other employees with an obvious over-exuberance and looking lamentably suspicious.

Lily sighed and shut the door with a small _click_. "I see now why Dumbledore wasn't too keen on letting him in on that undercover case at the last meeting."

"Not the most subtle of blokes, is he?" said James, smiling and shaking his head.

As promised, Diggle returned momentarily, a plain manila folder tucked inside his robes. He pulled it out and shoved it at James, who took it, albeit rather cautiously.

"Now _go_," commanded Diggle, bodily forcing them towards the door once more.

"But Mr Diggle-" began Lily, her voice feeble.

"_Go!"_ he insisted. Lily started out the door, but James remained behind.

"Sir," he said quickly, "where is your co-worker? Mr…?"

"Errios," muttered Diggle. "On a lunch break." He watched as Lily picked something up from the desk. "Don't touch that! It's classified information!"

Lily held up a clearance pass for a Mr Nicol Errios; included on the laminated sheet were his security details and a small photo. Vane stared back at her with a vicious sneer, hardly moving, his cold, dark eyes clouded by a thick crop of brown, mousy hair. Lily started. She knew that sneer… those cold, calculating eyes…

"Lily?" said James abruptly. His voice sounded far away. She shook herself.

"Coming," she said, dropping the pass quickly and following him towards the nearest fireplace, the folder neatly tucked out of sight inside James' jacket.

* * *

They arrived back at Dumbledore's office quickly as there were no queues to use the fireplace. Their headmaster helped them up, and they brushed the soot off themselves before James reached inside his jacket to hand the folder to Dumbledore, who shook his head and put his hands in front of him. 

"No," said Dumbledore. "You and Lily are more than capable of solving this case, now you have the necessary information, I am sure."

"Really?" asked James incredulously, before he could stop himself.

"Really," replied Dumbledore, smiling. "If, after a week, you are still having trouble, make some copies of these files and I will distribute them to other Order members to see if they have any luck. But for now… see how you do."

Lily and James smiled gratefully at the Headmaster's expression of confidence in them. However, by now, they were almost bursting with curiosity as to what the files could tell, so they made there goodbyes short and hurried back to the common room. They found the files exactly where they had left them and immediately resumed their work.

"It says here," stated Lily, "the files were reported stolen by Jameson at 1:45 pm on Tuesday the 18th of July, 1977, right after he discovered they were missing."

"'Standard issue magical tests carried out on the file cabinet from where they were taken shows that the documents were taken at precisely 3:17 pm on Monday the 17th of July'," read James from the folder. "They can figure out the exact time and date they were taken by not the person's identity?"

"Well, according to this-" Lily indicated the folder's pages– "the offender didn't use any magic whatsoever and, in doing so, left no trace of their magical imprint behind."

"So, basically, whoever did it need to have a key," said James. He pulled out his wand and copied the photos of each of the suspects, enlarged them, and stuck them to wall. "Who out of them would have that kind of clearance?"

"All of them, except… Ridgeway," confirmed Lily, using her own wand to draw a fiery cross across the picture of the women staring back at her from the wall.

"And we already know Tanham wasn't present either day, so he's out, too," said James, imitating her action and crossing out one of the men.

"And then there were five," muttered Lily, turning back to the files. "Okay… what else do we know?"

James paused, looking at the photos on the wall. "The offender would have needed to be at the office at the time they were taken, obviously," he stated.

"McCarthy, Lindbergh, Jameson and Carter were all there, but Veneta left just after two o'clock due to a complain about stomach pains," said James. Lily raised her wand again to cross over Veneta's face, until-

"Hang on a minute," muttered James, breaking her concentration. "How could Voldemort have known where _your_ parents lived, if they were only stolen this year? And what about all the other muggleborns' parents? How could he have known?"

Lily sat, momentarily stunned – she couldn't believe she'd not spotted it earlier. "Of course!" she spluttered, blinking. "They must have been stolen before!" She skimmed through the top report in the file that contained a history of the documents. "They _have!_ Listen to this! '… the documents were stolen numerous times during the time of the dark wizard Grindelwald… blah, blah, blah… in more recent times, however, the documents were reported missing in _November 1974!"_ She looked excited, knowing they were close. "Quick, James, check the files! Who's worked in the department long enough to have stolen them before?"

James grabbed at them, flicking through them quickly. "Lindbergh… 'began work in the Department of Records in March, 1976, after a brief stint in the International Magical Office of Law'… so it's not him. Jameson… he started a month after they were stolen in '74… not him, either. Lindbergh… 'began work in the Department of Records in February, 1973' – there's a possibility! Carter… not her either, she started early this year... and Veneta, too – he started in 1972… 'refused several offers to move up to the Department of Magical Co-operation'... wait," said James, you don't think…? I mean, why would Veneta refuse a promotion and a pay rise? Unless-"

"Unless he had a reason to stay down there," said Lily, breathless. She deflated suddenly, remembering. "But he wasn't at work at the time they were reported stolen."

"Exactly," said James, giving her a significant look.

"You _said_ the time sheets can't be tampered with," she countered. "Magical imprint, remember?"

"But if it was so easy for us to get ahold of these sheets, why shouldn't it have been for Voldemort?"

"You think - you mean you think _Diggle_ did this? You think he's a double agent?"

"It's plausible," said James.

"But not probable, not at all," she replied, shaking her head. "Dumbledore trusts him. Diggle wouldn't be a part of the Order if Dumbledore suspected anything at all."

"What about that other bloke, then? Errios, or something? He looked at bit shifty to me," offered James.

Lily made no effort to reply; instead, she remembered the vicious snarl that dominated Errios' crudely-carved face… _where do I know that face from? _No answer came. As if in a trance, she stood and walked in front of the photo of Veneta. As nervous as ever, his eyes darted around the photo, a light sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead.

"Maybe Veneta was Imperiused," suggested James, interrupting her thoughts.

Lily shook her head. "For that long? I doubt it. You said it yourself; his pupil's would have jagged sufficiently by now." She froze the image of Veneta with a jab of her wand and motioned James over. "You see?" she told him. "There's no signs of trauma anywhere on the eye, except-" she stopped. Gasping to herself, she examined Veneta's left eye closely, before freezing the image of Carter next to Veneta, in mid-yawn.

"I don't believe it," she said quietly, in complete shock.

"What?" asked James, immediately concerned.

"Look at Veneta's left pupil," she instructed. "See how it differs in size from the right one? But look at Carter's. His are a perfect match. As are yours – as are mine."

"What are you getting at?"

"There's a potion, a dark magic potion, that can be brewed to counter the effects of the Imperius Curse over a long period of time. It stops the pupils and jagging, but it also slows the inevitable insanity brought on by a prolonged use of _any_ dark curse." She paused. "Side effects include excessive sweating… and neurotic, nervous behaviour."

"Oh my God," whispered James. He turned to Lily, watching the fire burning in her eyes. "You think… someone _made _Veneta steal those documents?"

"Got it in one," she said grimly, "and how convenient would it be for someone to kill two birds in one stone – having Veneta at close range to keep control of him _and_ tampering with the time logs? Errios – or even Diggle – could have changed those documents in a heartbeat to look as if Veneta wasn't even there at the time of the theft." She looked at her watch; it was now well past 4:00 pm. "Before we go see Dumbledore, we need to tell Gemma about that thing her father wants."

"I hardly think it's important right now," protested James.

"It is," declared Lily. "I don't know why… I can just tell."

"Well… okay," he said, still looking rather dubious. They set off at full speed to Gryffindor Tower, arriving in under minute thanks to a handy short-cut of James's.

"Gemma," breathed Lily, as they practically fell through the porthole.

Gemma was sitting next to Harry on a couch near the fire. She looked up, surprised to see them, and a little shocked at their present state. "Lily, James… what's wrong?"

Lily disregarded her question, her breathing coming hard. "That thing you took from your dad's office on the day of the funeral," she sputtered, clutching a stitch in her side. "Where is it?"

Gemma looked dubious. "Why?"

"He- he asked me to send it back to him, when I saw you next... we ran into him today…"

"Where?"

"It's not important," said James quickly. "Please, Gem. You know we wouldn't ask if it wasn't absolutely essential."

Her trust in them seemed to win over, and she quickly bounded up the stairs, returning a minute later with a piece of paper in her hand. "It's a list of all the suspected Death Eaters my parents were trying to find."

Lily nodded, silently thanking her friend. "We'll see you guys later," she promised as she and James ran out again.

"What was all that about?" Harry asked her as she returned to her seat next to him, looking confused. She curled up beside him, and his arm went around her automatically.

"No idea," she replied truthfully.

* * *

Out in the corridor, James and Lily hid in the shadows and studied the list quickly; there were over twenty names. James ran his finger down the list as he read, before stopping it suddenly. 

"Merlin," he muttered, pointing to a name second from the bottom.

"What?" asked Lily, confused. The name listed as Colin Rosier was completely unfamiliar to her.

"It's an anagram," he said, folding the paper and standing straight.

He was already running when Lily asked him. "Of _what?"_

"Nicol Errios."

* * *

Dumbledore did not seem surprised at all to see them again so soon. They filled him in on what they had found out quickly and presenting the evidence they had gathered. 

"Rosier?" he had exclaimed in surprise when they told him about the anagram. "Yes… we've been after him for a while now… he was at school here with Lord Voldemort. I believe you are right."

"Where do we go from here, Sir?" asked Lily, her expression intense. "Will the Ministry send Aurors down to detain Erri- Rosier for questioning, or will the Order…?"

"I think it best if we keep this information as quiet as possible," said Dumbledore firmly. "Two Order members are junior Aurors. I will arrange for them to meet us in the atrium under the pretense of discussing Hogsmeade security. As you two are the Head students of Hogwarts, I cannot see the Minister protesting your presence their."

"You want us to come with you?" said James, looking thrilled.

"Of course," smiled Dumbledore. "It is your hard work that will have lead to his capture. It is only fair that you see it through."

Lily looked resolute. _This is it. He can't hurt anyone else's family after this. _She was finally making things equal between herself and her conscience.

Dumbledore provided a portkey that took them straight in the Ministry atrium, a corner blocking Rosier and Diggle from their view.

"Uh… isn't this illegal, Sir?" asked James cautiously, eyeing the portkey.

"Of course, James," said Dumbledore, winking. Momentarily, however, he regained his composure, readying all three of them for the task at hand. He walked casually toward the Fountain of Magical Breathen, deposited a galleon or two, and, just as he turned around to walk back to Lily and James, gave a non-descript couple standing near the telephone-box entrance the tiniest of nods.

"Is that them? The Aurors? I think I remember them from the last meeting," inquired Lily once he had returned.

"Yes, indeed. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Andromeda Tonks, both remarkably gifted. Equal tops of their Auror training classes, I believe. They will be assisting today in case of any – er – difficulties."

"Difficulties?" asked Lily quietly, her voice a tone higher than usual.

"Relax," James assured her, squeezing her hand once, "we'll be fine."

She nodded, smiling half-heartedly. "Well… shall we get on with it?"

Dumbledore nodded, beckoning them closer. "This plan will rely heavily on the two of you. Are you sure that you are ready to do this?"

They nodded mutely as one.

"Very well. Here is what you must do." Dumbledore's words were concise as he informed them of his ideas.

James felt glad for Lily's small hand, enclosed in his, as they made their way casually across the atrium to where Rosier sat behind the same desk, evidently bored. He gave her hand another quick squeeze as they came to stand in front of it, looking as normal as any other couple who passed through the Ministry on any other day.

Rosier looked up at them as they stood there, his face showing a sneer that clearly stated he thought they were nuisances. "Yes?" he growled, his lip curling up.

_Pretty good Snivellus impression,_ thought James, though his pulse quickened slightly. "Hi," he said cheerfully. "We were wondering if you could give us some information?"

Lily was looking as bored as Rosier, but her mind was racing; she ran over the plan in her head… distract Rosier, get him out from behind the desk, get out of the way, let the Aurors stun him. Simple. Effective. So why was she so uneasy?

She looked around at Rosier. His face, his mannerisms, his speech… they hit her like a ton of bricks all at once. She knew him. She was certain. _But from _where?_ How? _

"Where? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that," said James, pretending to be confused.

"If you want directions, you should be asking at the _Information_ Desk," snarled Rosier, not attempting to get out his seat.

"But the cue is so long," complained James.

Lily could see it wasn't working. _Turn on the charm._ She flashed him a smile, looking right into his eyes. She flinched as her mind seemed to flood with a bright light. _What is wrong with me?_ Ignoring it, she tossed her head slightly. "Please, Mr… Errios," she said, pretending to check his access card, now hung around his neck. "Could you just show us? It'll only take a second…"

His face changed as he looked at her. His expression was intense; his raised himself slightly in his seat. "Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked, his malicious eyes glittering.

There it was again, another flash of light. A yell sounded from far away. She twitched, feeling as though someone had just slapped her across the face. She forced a smile. "I don't know."

His expression changed once more, looking as though he had placed her. "Oh," he said, his voice dangerously low. "I remember." He sneered at her in a brutal imitation of a smile.

More light. More voices. Yelling, screaming, closer to her. It was getting louder… she could hear it properly…

_No! No! Please… leave me alone… stop! Please! Help me, someone! _

Her own voice, her own screams. She could hardly breathe. She faced him once more, shaking horribly. And… it her.

"You," she gasped. "You were the one… who – who-" she gripped James' hand in her own, feeling him tense beside her; she willed herself to run, but she totally, utterly numb…

Rosier sneered again. "Looks like the little bitch broke through my memory charm," he started, before James' fist collided with his mouth.

* * *

Over by the telephone box, Kingsley and Andromeda watched as James' fist sliced through the air and connected with Rosier. 

"Well, this certainly wasn't part of the plan," muttered Andromeda as they pulled their wands from their robes and took off towards the fight at full speed.

* * *

James' punch only had so long of an effect on Rosier; in fact, the wizard was on his feet so fast James knew he must be using Dark magic. Rosier launched a stunning spell at him before he could even pull out his wand. Lily had pulled out her own wand, but was shaking so badly that her Jelly Legs Jinx, intended for Rosier, barely missed James. She felt strong hands grip her shoulders and turned, expecting to see Dumbledore. Instead, they clenched her tighter, twisting her around, hot breath creeping down her neck as the offender whispered in her ear, "your mommy cried while we tortured her… she screamed _real_ loud…"

* * *

Dumbledore, Kingsley and Andromeda reached the fight instantaneously, only to find themselves blocked out, the Death Eaters having contained the situation in a dome comprised entirely of Dark magic. 

"I can break it," Dumbledore quietly told the other two (naturally, many other Ministry personnel had gathered at the scene), "but it will require much of my strength. You will have to do the rest once it is open." They nodded, wands drawn and ready. Dumbledore began using his copious amounts of power to break down the magical dome, though he was unable to do so without moving his fingers to help work out the intricacies of it. Fearing he might be spotted by the Death Eaters, he worked quickly, intent on getting his Head students back.

* * *

Inside the dome, Lily's air supply was quickly being cut off by the enormous forearms of the Death Eater pinning her back. She watched helplessly as James and Rosier dueled, firing curses so quickly their wands were a blur. However, she could see James's refusal to use Dark magic was giving Rosier the upper hand quickly; James had already had to dodge two Crucio curses… 

"_Incarcerous!"_ cried James, and the Death Eater was forced to shield himself from the spell hastily.

"_Orchideo!"_ Rosier retaliated and thick vines surged from the ground under James' feet, trapping him. Rosier advanced on him, wand raised, a threatening look clouding his face…

"No!" screamed Lily as James struggled. The Death Eater behind her let out a strangled cry, his hands flying off her suddenly, and without stopping to think why, Lily cast a Diffindo Charm at the vines on James's legs, pulling him up.

"What the hell'd you do that for?" shrieked Rosier to his partner.

"It was like she was on fire! She just started… burning!" cried the other, staring at Lily, all at once looking frightening and frightened.

Lily didn't stop to think. "Stupefy!" she cried, just as James did the same. Lily's spell hit the black-haired, taller Death Eater who had been previously been holding her back, while Rosier missed James's spell by an inch.

Rosier, realizing he was outnumbered, cast a non-verbal, Dark spell immediately, slashing his wand through the air. A jet of flames poured out of it, falling to the ground and barricading them from him inside the dome. As Rosier re-enervated his fallen companion, James used the first thing that came to mind – water.

"It's not working!" he cried to Lily as the water pouring from their wands did little to hinder the flames.

"They're magical flames, we've got to try something else," she yelled back.

"_Reducto!"_ James called, to no effect. He tried the Flame Freezing Charm. Nothing.

"_Finite Incantatem!"_ Lily tried, feeling stupid even as she said it, knowing it would be useless. Suddenly, however, the flames shriveled and died, leaving nothing but a thin spiral of black smoke. Rosier stared back at them, eyes cold and shrewd, the other Death Eater looking similar.

Lily felt paralyzed as she stared into Rosier's eyes. Every horrifying moment of her ordeal was flooding back to her. Her eye twitched involuntarily and her entire body shook. She felt James step closer to her, protecting her. Rosier laughed and the other Death Eater smirked, his wand making a jabbing movement.

James flew towards Lily unwillingly, feeling a connection growing between them as the Death Eater bound their magical powers together. The uncomfortable feeling was accompanied by a sense of dread so profound it was almost phenomenal… he knew what was coming now, as though he had known all his life…

"_Crucio!" _hissed Rosier and the other Death Eater as one. James's skin was crawling, his bones were on fire, knives were pressing into him from every direction… surely this was death, he thought, recalling the effects of one of the Darkest spells known, the magic-binding spell… every spell hit twice as hard, caused twice as much pain… but, when a person's magic was joined to another's… especially two people who's magic was powerful even on their own… their spells would cause extreme damage…

Lily bit back another scream, praying it would stop. She clung to James, her nails digging into his skin. The tall Death Eater sidled up to her, his wand still trained at the two of them.

"Come on, little girl… scream… just like your parents…"

Lily couldn't breathe, she was drowning in her own mind; surely, she must be dying… and then… it stopped. Fresh breath poured into her throat, gasping once, she regained her dueling stance quickly, as James did the same.

"Ready to play properly now, kiddies?" sneered Rosier mercilessly.

Lily and James were both breathing heavily. James tried to steady himself; breathing deeply, and for the first time since Rosier had erected it, he looked out of the dome at the anxious faces surrounding him. The faces were spinning, but he managed to isolate one in the crowd – Dumbledore looked back at him, burning with a ferocious power. James watched his fingers, watched as they weaved in out of each other and realised what Dumbledore was doing. They could help… he just had to get Lily to co-operate.

James's hand encircled Lily's own. Across the dome, Rosier and the other Death Eaters were using mind tricks to break Lily's demeanor, reminding her of the night her parents were killed. He knew he had to get her to stop listening.

"Lily," he whispered to her, keeping his tone firm but warm. "We have to split the dome. Dumbledore's already working on it so it'll be easier to do. You have to help me. Lily?"

She turned to face him, apparently having a hard time blocking out the Death Eater's words. "What should we do?" she said slowly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"We freeze them, then cast a severing charm at the dome. Our combined magic will give it more power. Are you ready?" James's eyes bore into Lily's.

She nodded. Gathering her strength and feeling him do the same, she waited for a gap in the Death Eaters retorts…

"You know what, Evans? If you hadn't struggled so much, you might even have enjoyed our little _rendezvous_," Rosier sneered.

Without thinking, or waiting for James to join her, she let the spell fly in an incensed combination of power and rage. _"Petrificus Totalus!"_

James pushed his power out at the Death Eaters too, and soon both were frozen in place, shocked looks on both of their faces. He and Lily didn't stop to think, once again calling on their magic…

"_Diffindo!" _they called as one, red jets of light flying from their wands and encircling the dome. The Death Eaters watched, helpless, as huge cracks appeared in the dome, and its eerie green surface fell away, freeing Lily, James and the Death Eaters. Kingsley and Andromeda rushed in, pulling James and Lily away from the fray as another wizard joined them.

"Dolohov," said Kingsley, sounding somewhat relieved to see him. "Take these two-" he indicated the Death Eaters – "into holding cells downstairs. We'll need-"

"I'm afraid I can't, Shacklebolt," Dolohov interrupted smoothly. He walked over to where the Death Eaters stood, still frozen in place. Tapping them both on the head, he muttered, _"Finite Incantatem!" _before he could be stopped. He threw the two wizards their wands, and they grouped together immediately, back to back, wands facing different directions.

"What are you doing?" demanded Kingsley, his own wand drawn, Andromeda beside him.

"Don't be so naïve, Shacklebolt," he said quietly. "In this day and age, one must do what one needs to do, to survive…" He made a twisting, slashing motion with his wand. A jet of purple light hit Kingsley square in the chest. Kingsley fell to the floor, unconscious, and Dolohov laughed coldly.

"Why isn't anyone _doing_ anything?" Lily whispered feverishly from where she stood with James. The Death Eaters were advancing on Andromeda, firing spells in every direction, most of which she dodged. Many hit innocent bystanders in the crowd. A bell sounded from the other end of the atrium. The crowd looked up at one to see Aurors pouring out of the stairwells across from the Fountain.

The Death Eaters began running. Dolohov stopped suddenly, and screamed, "_Concussius!"_ The spell worked very effectively, knocking everyone in line of the spell down, and concussing many of the people standing in the front of the crowd. Lily and James swayed on their feet, watching as the Aurors were knocked to the ground.

"_No!"_ Lily screamed. "We can't let them get away! _He killed my parents!"_

She ran after them determinedly, James shouting for her to stop in the background. She barely heard him. Running faster than she had ever run in her life, she jumped over a fallen pot plant, sprinting harder still. There was only a hundred feet left to the end of the atrium, where the Death Eaters could escape…

She pulled out her wand and cried, _"Viaggo!"_ The Death Eaters stumbled and tripped, each falling to the ground, their wands scattered out before them. Rosier was the first to regain his own and pulled himself back onto his feet like the other Death Eaters, his expression menacing.

"Finish her off!" shrieked Dolohov as he and the other Death Eater beginning running again.

Rosier drew his wand back, his mouth vicious and twisted. _"Avada Ked-"_

"_Expelliarmus!" _she yelled. It stopped him from casting the spell, but Rosier managed to keep his grip on his wand.

He smirked once more. _"Guardolo!"_

She screamed in pain as a small burn appeared on her hip bone, just above her pelvis. She clutched at it, sinking to the ground, watching helplessly as he ran to his partners, disappearing inside the telephone box.

She heard sounds returning to her, sounds she had blocked out while running after the Death Eaters. People were screaming in the background; the alarm bell wailed still. Someone shouted her name, someone close by.

She felt strong, familiar arms close around her, encircling her, pulling her upwards. She sank into them, wanting only to be protected.

"It's okay," muttered James, his chin atop her head. He kissed her hair. "Shh… it's okay… we'll get them… I promise."

She turned to him, her eyes filled with unasked questions. She could see the same look she couldn't identify in his eyes. He nodded once at her, uncertain as how to reply. All she felt from his was an undeniable strength and reassurance. Closing her eyes, she sank into the sanctuary his arms provided, and the tears engulfed her.

* * *

Dumbledore sat in front of the fire in James and Lily's common room, waiting for James to return from Lily's room. A small click sounded from the door and the old man looked up. 

James looked uneasy as he sank down into a chair next to the Headmaster. "I gave her a sleeping spell," James told him. "She's dozing off, I think."

"Good," said Dumbledore, his fingers laced together. "She needs rest. Her efforts at the Ministry will have left her severely exhausted."

James nodded silently. He stared into the bright light of the fire, thinking.

"Both you and Lily performed amazingly inside the Ministry," Dumbledore told him, his voice lingering with pride. "I never expected you to take on – and nearly defeat – three Death Eaters by yourselves. You have well and truly proven yourselves as worthy members of the Order."

James turned to him, a saddened smile on his lips. "Thank you, Sir."

Dumbledore returned the smile. "I assume you have some questions?"

"Yes, Sir. Who were the Death Eaters?"

"Colin Rosier, Rodolphus Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov. As you may have noticed, Dolohov was – until most recently – believe to be on 'our side' of the war; he was working in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Lestrange saw the fight and joined in with Rosier after spotting it from across the atrium – he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. One of our members had told me he was quite a 'shady characters' not long ago. We'd been keeping an eye on him."

"And… and Rosier, Sir? Was he really the one who… who assaulted Lily?"

"Yes. I believe so." Dumbledore's voice was fortified with so much anger James had to stop himself from backing away. "The memory charm he seems to have performed on her seemed to have kept her from identifying him sooner. Lily needed to be in his presence to break it."

"What will happen now? I made her a promise, Sir. We need to find them."

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I'm afraid it's not that easy, James. We will do everything we can, of course, but Voldemort will have hidden them as securely as he can while he knows they are being searched for."

The conversation paused momentarily as both digested the information. James's gaze returned to the fire as his thoughts swirled in his mind.

"James," said Dumbledore softly, making him turn. "As your guardian, it is my duty to ensure your safety. Placing you in danger this afternoon is something I deeply regret."

"You couldn't have known," said James, slightly bewildered at Dumbledore's words. "You gave Lily and me the best education we could have received. We know what it's like now - to be out there, fighting. You've prepared us. It's like you said, isn't it? We're Order members. We were doing our part."

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes rather watery; he stood, as did James. Clapping a hand to James's shoulder, he spoke, his voice quiet. "You've grown up, James. Your parents will be glad to know it." They embraced, man to man, and Dumbledore departed for his own quarters.

* * *

Long after the Headmaster had left, James sat in front of the fire, staring at the coals, watching the flame lick and dance. He was no longer a boy, but a man, and he would never be able to make the transition back again. This was it, he realised. The beginning of the rest of life.

* * *

**(This chapter was much too long for my liking. Phew! What do you think? I really love getting feedback… help me make my story better. Leave me a review with you thoughts.**

**Just a few points I'd like to make:**

**The Rosier that exists in this chapter is the Rosier that attended school with Voldemort, not the 'Evan Rosier' that attended school with Lily, James, Snape and Co. 'No concrete first name Rosier' (aka the Rosier in this story) is thought to be the father of Evan, though this is unfounded. You can find out more at www dot hp – lexicon dot org, a fantastic site with so much information it's astounding. This chapter relied heavily on information from that site, though none of it is directly copied and was only used as background information. **

**I hope I made the fact Rosier was Lily's rapist obvious enough without actually stating it until the end… thoughts?**

**Rodolphus Lestrange is Bellatrix's husband, and attended school before Lily and James. Andromeda was older than Sirius and probably attended Hogwarts circa 1960. You can find out more at HP Lexicon.**

**I'm currently trying to tie up a few loose ends from earlier parts of the story, but it's beginning to come together. Only two chapters left now, then the epilogue!)**


	29. Dangerous Melodies

**(A/N: Hello! Yeah, you can kill me for never updating later. But after this, there's only another chapter and an epilogue to do, so maybe I'll have this finished by the next century or so…**

**I realise this chapter is rather unrealistic, but it's fanfiction, so whatever, right? (Just say yes.)**

**I hope you enjoy this; practically the climax of this series.)**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Dangerous Melodies

* * *

**

The days after the incident at the Ministry passed quickly for both Lily and James. When they weren't in class, patrolling the corridors or being subjected to other Head Boy and Girl duties, they were spending as much time with their friends as possible. Many evenings saw them enjoying the privacy of their common room with their friends grouped around them – Sirius telling bad jokes between James and Remus, Lily next to James and talking animatedly to Kelly and Tammie, and Gemma and Harry opposite the two groups, often lost in their own personal world together.

Their friends had, naturally, been very interested in the events that had happened in the atrium, Harry especially. It had been Lily's choice to keep her assault from her friends still. She knew that one day, she would find the courage to tell them, but it would be at the right time for her.

It hadn't taken long for James to notice the vivid change in Lily since the confrontation with her attacker. Knowing that she had taken a stand against him and fought back, after all the years he had tormented her dreams, seemed to mean the world to her. In breaking through his memory charm, she had broken through the seal of self-doubt and insecurities she had placed around herself. Lily was happier than anyone had seen her in ages; she laughed more, spoke louder, walked taller and was more at ease with everyone around her… she was becoming Lily again.

James and Lily seemed to be spending every moment of their waking lives together. They ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together, attended all the same classes, organized school activities and prefect duty rosters. It was only during their own hours of patrolling, though, that they were alone together, and for this reason, it was the part of his day James most looked forward to. Seeing Lily happy again lifted James' spirits like nothing else; she was whole again, and so was he.

Lily and James got along so well at these times of night that it was difficult to see how they could have disliked each other so much for so long. Lily trusted James with everything she said and did. It was almost overwhelming for her to realise how much she relied upon him and enjoyed his company. James, likewise, confided in Lily things he wouldn't even tell his friends (and in some cases, _especially_ not his friends). He felt himself fall deeper for her with every smile she sent his way, every laugh she gave, every secret she told.

It was one of the these patrol rounds on late Tuesday evening that they found themselves faced, rather unexpectedly, with a sudden and daunting realization.

"I can't believe this," laughed Lily softly as they walked, amazed at how relaxed she was.

"Can't believe what?" asked James, a cutely bemused look on his face.

"How different we are – how different _I_ am – to how we acted towards each other only a month ago," she smiled, looking up at him.

He stopped suddenly, grinning at her. "Yes, I do seem to recall you mentioning something about me, a vat of dragon blood and a Thestral if I – to put it in your words – 'disgraced myself or you whilst we were charged with attuning the school to a higher educational standard'."

Lily blushed, but couldn't disguise the giggle that escaped her lips. "Oh, shut up," she said, playfully hitting him in the arm. He pretended to be fatally hurt and she rolled her eyes jokingly.

James laughed, the noise reverberating down the corridor. "Look at us," he smiled. "We're such dags, aren't we?"

"Sure are," confirmed Lily, grinning. "And it's all thanks to our son."

"I still can't believe he's here," said James, shaking his head. "And a month it'll have been, too, come this Sunday." He heard Lily gasp suddenly beside him, and he turned to her, alarmed.

"What – oh," he breathed, realizing suddenly.

"He's going back," she said simply.

They faced each other, and instinctively, James pulled Lily into a hug.

"I can't believe we'll never see him again," Lily murmured into his shoulder, feeling numb.

"'Course we will," James assured her. "He'll be back to a little tacker soon."

Lily smiled in spite of herself, and raised her head to look at him. "He'll be _our _little tacker."

James felt his breath catch in his throat. With the moonlight on her face, Lily looked like a goddess to him, and she was already in his arms. But… _no,_ something told him. _Not yet._ He let go of her as inconspicuously as he could, changing the subject as they began walking again.

"Maybe we should do something for him, before he leaves? You know… just our – uh – family?"

"That's a great idea!" Lily enthused. "How about dinner on Friday night in the Room of Requirement? We could ask Dumbledore if we could have the night off from patrolling."

"Excellent," smiled James. "I'll get the guys to help me fix it so we can't be disturbed."

They reached their dorm door, gave the password and entered. James smiled at Lily, wishing her goodnight. She did the same and they parted for their respective rooms.

Lily smiled to herself as she reached behind her pillow, pulling out her pyjamas. She thought of her newfound peace with herself as she changed, thinking of her son and how his presence had influenced her transition. She couldn't believe how much she loved him; how much she cared for him. She knew she would be crestfallen when he left… _at least I'll have James around… _her thoughts stopped swirling suddenly, focusing on the last one she had been left with. _Did I really just think that? _

She laughed at herself, though still rather unsettled. _I really have changed.

* * *

_

James slid into his huge bed, sighing to himself as he lay back on the pillows. Automatically, his thoughts turned to Lily; despondently, he wondered if she'd ever give him a real chance. _Of course she does, you idiot,_ he mused, _Harry said so. _Heartened slightly by these facts, he turned over and closed his eyes.

He just didn't know how much longer he could last without her.

* * *

"Maybe we should get him something – you know, to take back with him," suggested Lily to James late Wednesday afternoon. They were, as usual, lounged around their common room, Lily lazily flicking through a library book called _Why I Didn't Die When the Augrey Cried,_ by Pokeby Gulliver, while James lay on his back, stretched along the couch, using his wand to draw little glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.

"You know, that's a good idea," commented James, sitting up. "I know just the thing."

"Me too," said Lily, rather surprised.

"Well… should we just do our own thing, then?" he asked.

"Okay, then… glad that's settled. I was thinking we might have to scrounge around for a decent idea," she laughed.

"I just hope yours is as good as mine," he teased.

She poked her tongue out at him and giggled. "We'll see."

* * *

Friday night rolled around with mixed feelings for Lily, James and Harry. As promised, James had arranged for the Room of Requirement to be free from all late-night visitors, and although Lily wasn't quite sure how he'd done it, she was still glad for the privacy.

Harry walked into James and Lily's dorm slowly, many thoughts churning in his mind. He looked up as he entered, only to find no one there. "Hello?" he called.

"In here," came two separate replies from two separate rooms. Harry laughed to himself. He walked towards Lily's room, knocking on the door twice.

"Mum?" he asked softly.

"Come in," she answered. He pushed the door open to see Lily standing there in a wide-necked sleeveless white dress that fell to just above her knees, cinched in at the waist by a red bow that matched her hair perfectly. She did a little twirl, her long curls flicking out behind her, and he laughed.

"You look gorgeous," he smiled. She blushed softly and hurried over to where he stood, hugging him – she smiled, though she barely held back her tears. She shook her head slightly as they pulled away from each other. _There's time for that later._

"I have something I want to give you," she told him. Harry followed her into her bathroom where a painting easel sat next to a huge window overlooking the grounds, covered by a large white sheet.

"I know it's big," she said, walking over to where it stood, "but I figured you could just shrink it to take it back with you… besides, I've never really been able to work to a small scale." Harry looked confused; she just smiled and pulled the white sheet from the easel with a practiced ease.

"Oh, wow!" muttered Harry as he looked at the painting. There, on the easel, sat a beautiful painting of Harry, James and Lily, their heads surrounded by a sea of colour and intricate details. He brushed his fingers against it, feeling the raw edges of the paint beneath them, and grinned up at Lily. "It's amazing," he said sincerely.

Lily, who had been anxiously awaiting his reaction, sighed with relief and smiled back. "Thanks," she muttered shyly. "I just – I wanted you to have something to remember us by."

"I could never forget you guys, even without this wonderful portrait," smiled Harry, "you're my parents."

Lily smiled, tears spilling over her eyes without heed, and Harry enveloped her in a hug once more.

"I love you, Mum," he grinned at her.

"I love you, too… my only son…" she looked up at him, her eyes shining with pride. She dropped her gaze and grinned to herself, wiping the tears away. "I better not hold you up too long, or else James will be at my throat."

Harry laughed softly, pulling away from her and walking towards the door. She smiled at him once more as he exited, before heading to her mirror and examining her face; a quick spell cleared up any lost makeup. She looked at her reflection solemnly, and for the first time in her life, saw the smiling reflection of her own mother looking back at her.

* * *

James heard a soft knock on the door and grinned to himself.

"Come in," he called.

Harry walked in, looking every bit the picture of his father as he stood tall in his black suit. James walked over to him, in a suit almost identical to Harry's own, and smiled at the son who could pass for his twin.

"Dad," Harry acknowledged with a little nod.

"Son," said James, in the most fatherly-ish voice he could muster. Harry's grin froze a little before laughter racketed out from him.

"What?" said James, slightly offended.

"Nothing," said Harry instantly, catching himself, "it's just… that tone _really_ does not suit you. You're not meant to be old, Dad."

James laughed too, trying to the cover the sadness that had crept into the air. "No," he smiled. "I suppose you're right."

He walked over to his desk, pushing aside several pieces of paper with complicated Quidditch strategies written all over them, and plucked a worn, battered, brown leather book from the mess.

"Here," he said, "it's for you."

Harry took it from him, running his hand over the leather and marveling at its ancient-ness. "Wow," he muttered, staring at the title. _The Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter._ And beneath it, a motto: La Fortuna Favorisce Il Brave. "What is it?"

"It's a book about our family and our history," explained James. "Every generation passes it down to the next one, whenever the time is right to… I figure, now is as good a time as any."

Harry smiled, flicking through the front few pages. "'The Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter'? Isn't that the exact same name as Sirius's family's house?"

"Yeah," laughed James. "Every single wizarding family truly believes they are the most pure, the oldest, and, of course, the best. So that's pretty much what they all have."

Harry laughed at this, closing the book again and looking James in the eye. "Thank you."

James tried to shrug it off. "I know you don't really know much about our family… I thought you could use it more than I could."

Harry nodded again to himself, and James knew how much it meant to him, to finally have answers - but most of all, to finally _belong_. Harry stuck his hand out for a friendly shake. James took one look at it, grinned, and pulled his son into a bear hug.

"I love you, Dad," said Harry, his voice strained and muffled by James's shoulder.

"I love you, too," James answered, his own voice rather gruff. They pulled away from each other, and Harry could have sworn he saw James wipe something from his eye.

"Come on," said James, his voice losing the gruff quality. "Lily will wonder where we've been."

* * *

Their dinner was as perfect as she could ever have imagined it. A great meal, served by the most pleasant house elves the castle employed; a perfect setting under a (fake, but still beautiful) night sky; and rather excellent company, Lily thought with a smile, as she, James and Harry enjoyed each other's presences.

James had brought along a muggle Polaroid camera, enchanted to make the pictures move still, and managed to capture wonderful shots of all three of them, laughing, joking and forgetting their individual worries for just one night. _Even better than the Ball,_ he grinned to himself, as he snapped a picture of Lily and Harry pulling some perfectly horrid faces.

"A toast!" announced Harry, lifting his goblet of Butterbeer and rearranging his features into a grin. "To our happiness."

"Here, here," chanted his parents, raising their own glasses with a _clink_.

"And our long lives," James half-grinned, shiftily.

Lily and Harry looked at him. Lily was rather appalled; Harry was uncomfortable. Suddenly, however, Lily burst out laughing. It was infectious and Harry and James soon became victims of her giggle.

"Oh, God," she sighed, as the power of speech returned. "Ain't that the truth."

* * *

The next day, Saturday, found Lily opening her windows to the last remnants of sunshine the castle would feel for a while. She closed her eyes and smiled as she felt the warmth on her face. Grinning to herself, she ran out of the room and into the common room where she found James, once again, flicking through the _Daily Prophet,_ with a half-eaten breakfast of jam toast in front of him.

"Morning!" she chirped, sitting down next to him with a _thump_.

"Morning," he said back, grinning suspiciously. "Why so happy?"

Even she did not have a real reason for it. "It's just… such a beautiful day!" She reached for a piece of toast and curled up contentedly. "Let's do something. Something fun."

"Like what?" he asked, pulling a bit of toast from the piece she'd nabbed.

"Go to Disneyland?" she suggested, only half-joking.

He looked appalled. "Try to have some originality. Sirius and I did that when we were _twelve_." He paused for effect. "And the Head Girl, wanting to sneak out of the castle and on to another continent?"

"Oh, shut up, I'm bored," she huffed, with a small smirk on her face. "And if you're so creative, _you_ recommend something, then."

"Let's ask the others, they might have some suggestions," he advised.

And so they headed down to the Great Hall.

* * *

Remus was studying. Peter was visiting a sick relative (James could never keep up with which one it was this week). Kelly was seeing John. Tammie was studying. And Sirius was – _studying?_

"With Courtney," he informed James with a wicked grin.

Lily rolled her eyes, but it was only half-hearted.

"Harry? Gem? Do you guys wanna come with?"

Gemma looked at Harry, who shrugged. "Sure," she replied. "What did you guys have in mind?"

James looked at Lily. _"She_ wanted to go to Disneyland."

Harry showed some interest, but Gemma looked as appalled as James had.

"What? _What?" _She shifted uncomfortably under her friend's stare. "I thought it would be fun."

Silence descended upon their table in the Hall as each of them thought.

"Las Vegas?" suggested James and Harry simultaneously, with identical grins. Lily and Gemma hit them around the heads identically, then high-fived each other. The boys just glowered at them for a second, before it was forgotten.

"How about Paris?" said Gemma, suddenly remembering. "My parents gave me a re-usable portkey for Paris for my birthday in May."

"Excellent!" smiled Lily. "I love Paris."

As it turned out, it was the perfect idea. James had only been once with his parents, whilst they were busy with an Order assignment; Lily had been many times with own parents, and loved the city immensely, while Harry had never been at all, but was eager to do so.

"The only question now," said Gemma to Lily with a smile, "what do we wear?"

* * *

"It's beautiful," breathed Lily, as they looked out over the Seine River. Boats passed across it in rhythm, many packed with tourists enjoying the sunshine.

They had managed to escape the castle with minimal fuss, simply leaving through the one-eyed witch statue, sneaking out of the Honeydukes' cellar, and from there using the portkey to transport to beautiful Gay Parée.

"What do we first?" asked Harry, looking around at the multitude of life that was bustling everywhere. Cafes on every corner, well dressed Parisians sipping coffee in their alfresco settings. Shops everywhere, bursting with the latest fashions. "I've heard the Louvre museum is great."

"We don't have time, unfortunately," said Lily. "It would take us weeks to get through all the amazing stuff they have in there, not to mention the cues."

"Shopping!" suggested Gemma, her eyes bright with the idea. James was just about to deliver his 'appalled face' when Lily cut him off.

"No, we must be real Parisians!" she said, lilting her voice with a French accent perfected over many stays in the country's capital. "First," she said with grandeur, "we stroll."

And so they began to walk. Masses of people streamed past them, some shopping, others just walking like them. They passed markets, stores, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, galleries and parks.

"Look, the Arc de Triomphe!" smiled James, pointing.

"And the Champs Elysée!" shouted Harry.

"Try to make us look a little more like tourists, guys," grinned Lily in mock-shame.

"In their defense, Lils," said Gemma, pointing to a man riding a bicycle with a bread stick poking out of the basket in front of him and a beret on his head. "We're not _that_ tragic."

Lily laughed, feeling a meal break coming on. "Who feels like morning tea and drinks? There's a great little place over there."

"Complete agreement here," nodded Harry enthusiastically.

"Same," concurred James.

"Here, Harry – we'll grab the food and drinks, you guys grab a table," proposed Gemma. "Oh, and just in case you get lost, here's a copy of the portkey. But be careful, it only works once!"

"Thanks," James said, stowing the key in his pocket, already having spotted a table. "Come on, Lils."

He led her to the table, pulling out her seat for her.

"Aren't you the gentlemen?' she asked, grinning.

He smiled back and basked in warmth of the sun. "It's amazing here. So vibrant, and all that."

She laughed, agreeing; she was so incredibly happy. "I love it here," she enthused. "Aren't you glad we came?"

He smiled again, watching Lily in all her beauty. "Yeah," he said softly. "I am."

She looked up at him, lost in the look he gave that still haunted her and confounded her. "James," she began, her voice muted –

"Order's up!" announced Harry with a grin. He plonked a plate of Danish pastries on the table, while Gemma placed a tray of four coffees in front of them.

"Um, yum," said Lily, grabbing a pastry instantly, slightly flustered.

James was clearly mystified as he drank his coffee. _What just happened there?_

Gemma looked at Harry, indicated his two bewildered parents and giggled quietly. He grinned back at her and chewed, satisfied, on his own apple Danish.

* * *

Later, after Lily and James had recovered, the four headed for the Eiffel Tower.

"No decent Paris trip should go without," declared Gemma as they paid for tickets and headed towards the nearest elevator.

_You can say that again,_ though Harry, as he stepped out onto the topmost floor of the Tower. The view was nothing short of magnificent. He grabbed Gemma's hand, grinning at her, and pulled her towards the nearest telescope.

"It's gorgeous," smiled Lily, taking it all in. She loved it up there, so close to the sky.

James just nodded silently, drinking in the city before, too startled to speak.

"Do you like it?" she asked, watching him intently, not having seen his nod.

"It's… _amazing,"_ he said. "I can't… I can't even describe it."

She laughed, knowing exactly what he meant. Time whiled away as they observed the city's hustle and bustle beneath them, the buildings mere pinpricks and the people below practically non-existent.

James didn't know how much time had passed when Gemma and Harry came over, hand-in-hand, to tell them that were going back down the Tower.

"We'll be at that little ice cream place on the corner of the park, if you guys wanna meet us there when you're done," suggested Harry.

"Sure," agreed James, and suddenly it was just he and Lily on the eastern deck, watching the city once more.

"I love it up here," he said, more to himself than her. "I feel so… free, you know? So close to the sky. It's like being on my broom, only a little steadier."

She turned to him and smiled, delighted. "That's exactly what I was thinking," she said. She smiled up at him and he smiled back, caught in each other's gazes. She could see the same look in his eye again…

_Oh my God._

She gasped out loud involuntarily and looked away as quickly, stunned by her own realization.

"What?" James asked quickly, alarmed. "Lily? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing," she said, shaking her self. She smiled shakily up at him. "Shall we go back down?"

"Yeah, if you're sure you're okay," said James, still looking slightly agitated.

_I'm never going to be okay again in all my life,_ she thought.

"I'm sure," she said, turning towards the elevators again.

As they traveled down, she tried to clear her head and pull herself back together, but the thought stuck in her mind like it was it Spello-taped there.

_Oh my God,_ she thought.

_I can't believe I'm in love with James.

* * *

_

Back on the ground at the ice cream store, James watched Lily out of the corner of his eye. _Two weird moments in a day_, he thought warily. _What ever that means. I'm not even making sense to me, anymore._

He was suddenly distracted by Harry's voice cutting across his thoughts. "Hey, has anyone else noticed it's getting kind of dark? Maybe we should-"

A scream nearby interrupted him as a vicious roar sounded from the direction of the Champs Elysée.

"What the-?" began James.

Abruptly, a huge green skull of smoke erupted into the sky, instantly darkening it. Screams from everywhere as terrified muggles began to run from what surely must be a vicious terrorist attack.

"Oh my God," whispered Gemma, clutching Harry's hand tightly.

"He knows we're here," murmured Lily. She turned do James, her voice on the edge of hysteria. "How does he know? We've only been here a few hours! We've only-"

"RUN!" screamed a man nearby them as a sinister whistle rang through the air. Looking up for only a moment as they sprinted as quickly as they could, James saw a huge streak of light in the sky headed straight for them.

"LILY!" he yelled, grabbing her and pulling her towards him. The spell made contact just as he reached her, and the force of the explosion knocked them both to the ground. Lily couldn't see anything through blind fear. Suddenly, James was pulling her upwards again and she could once more hear the noise that heralded another blast. Stumbling in her panic, she gripped his hand tightly and allowed herself to be led as people streamed around her.

The whistle got louder and James knew it be only seconds before the next hit. He hurled both Lily and himself behind the nearest tree and braced for the impact. It hit again with a fresh wave of agonized screaming, a little further back this, and suddenly they were running again, running as fast as they could.

"James," she panted, trying to keep up with his athlete's body. "Harry – Gemma – where did they-?"

"I don't know," he said abruptly, once again pulling her behind a tree and into his arms. Another blast hit, suddenly closer than he'd expected. All too soon she was released from the only protection she had – him – and they were off again.

"Can't we – fly?" she panted. "Summon your broom – or _something!"_

"I can't," he responded instantly. "Draw too much attention. Come on," he urged her. "We have to get out of here."

"I hardly think – oh," she breathed as he grabbed her again, pulling her towards abandoned drinks stall momentarily. "I hardly think any muggle's going to notice a broom… when this is happening!" She fought to maintain a breath.

"They won't," James agreed, ducking his head out to check if it was clear for them to run again. "But the Death Eaters will." Another blast sounded and he looked at her intently, as if to make sure she was ready.

She nodded once, took his head and then they were running once more.

* * *

"Where are we?" wheezed Gemma, gasping for breath.

"No idea," said Harry, searching the deserted streets. It was quieter here, the blasts moving away. He could only barely hear the screams now.

"Lily?" called Gemma.

"Dad!" shouted Harry.

"It's no use," she said, despondent. "They've probably gone in the opposite direction. We'll never find them." A tear trickled down her cheek. "Oh, Harry," she sobbed. "What if they're-?"

"Don't say that," he growled, his voice gruff. He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her. "We'll find them, I know we will."

She wiped her eyes and pulled out her wand. "You're right," she said, her voice toughening. "We have to try and help."

"Gemma, I don't think that's a good idea," he said instantly. "We should take the portkey back to the castle and get Dumbledore-"

"And just leave them here? We can't, Harry," she said forcefully. "And there's probably hundreds of people injured, we need to help them!"

"We'll be more help if we can get Aurors, and Healers too," Harry stated.

"But people are dying, now! The sooner we can help them… and Lily and James, we need to get to them…" Gemma ran, towards the screaming, the fighting, the blasts… towards the dying.

"Gemma! Wait, come back!" he tore off after her, dodging the fallen ruins of abandoned stores. "Gemma!"

But no one answered him. He kept running, but he could no longer here her footsteps in front of him… "GEMMA!"

He turned another corner, and it was like running into a war zone. People appeared from nowhere, filling the street with crowds of the sick and dying. Some lay on the ground, shouting nonsensical French at him in strained voices and reaching towards him with feeble arms.

"_Monsieur, m'aident…"_

"_Sil vous plait… _"

He was more overcome with emotion than any other time in his life as he watched the masses stretched out before him. The need to help these people battled with his desire to find Gemma, before he couldn't take it any longer… These people needed help, and to hell with what the Ministry thought…

"_Heal,"_ he whispered, spreading his hands out wide and closing his eyes. He did not know of an incantation for the desired affect; he was relying on his own pure magic… _Please,_ he thought… _Please help them…_

A tingle vibrated down his arms and he almost shuddered in surprise, but instead forced the magic out through his fingers, keeping his eyes firmly shut… He could feel the light dancing off his hands and forward, dripping from him like water from a fountain. Finally, though, his magic gave out and he felt distinctly weakened. His eyes flew open.

Lying prostrate before him was every single person who had reached for him. His heart tightening horribly with guilt, he leaned over to the nearest person and reached for his neck with two shaky fingers, feeling for the man's pulse. Nothing. Harry stopped breathing. But – wait… there! A pulse! And again, stronger this time. He exhaled with relief.

He took a few stops forward cautiously, still feeling anxious, though the now-steady rise and fall of human chests around him calmed him a bit. A few, however, moved not at all. Dumbledore's voice wavered through his mind –_ no spell can reawaken the dead, Harry…_

The need to find Gemma immediately, while momentarily dulled, now throbbed sharply inside of him. With a last regretful look at the hundreds lying behind him, he began to run once more.

* * *

"Have you still got the portkey copy?" Lily asked James in a hushed voice. The blasts had stopped, but they were still in the park, taking shelter beneath fallen trees. The eerie silence flooding the air was almost as scary as the sound of the explosions. She couldn't look around her… there were too many dead.

"Yeah," whispered James back. "Do you think – maybe we should – get Dumbledore? I mean, we could come back as quickly as possible, and – and _then_ find Gem and Harry…"

"It's as good a plan as any," she said, though she frowned slightly. "And if we stay here much longer…" her voice trailed off, and he dropped his gaze, nodding. "The only problem, is…"

"Is what?" asked James, confused.

"We need to be back where the copy was made," Lily told him, her voice strained.

James groaned aloud, a pained expression crossing his face. "You're kidding. Please, tell me this is all a joke."

She stood up slowly, reaching a hand out and pulling him up with her. "I've got an idea."

* * *

Harry ran and ran, ducking into darkened alleyways with a heart that sunk lower with each passing second. Where was she?

"Gemma," he called, as loud as he dared. No response, though it wasn't as though he'd expected one. His heart tightened considerably.

He forced himself to keep running, to not give up hope. He turned more corners, faced more deserted streets.

"Gemma!" he yelled in frustration, probably louder than he ought to have.

Nothing. No one. Not even any dead bodies. He shuddered and repressed the thought of her, lying lifeless on a deserted Parisian street…

_Keep going,_ he told himself. _Find her. You have to._

He ran again, his own footsteps pounding in his ears, mixing with the beat of his heart; he ran past empty storefronts and abandoned tables. Nothing. No one.

A _clunk_ sounded from around the corner.

"Gemma?" he called. _Please… _

Another noise, this time more roughened, then another, identical… footsteps…

"Gemma!" he shouted, running towards them.

A laugh sounded. Deep. Cruel. Most definitely not female. A tall, masked man turned the corner, cloaked from head to toe in black… A Death Eater.

"Afternoon, Potter," came the lazy drawl of man behind the mask.

Harry knew that voice. _Malfoy. _

"Where is she?" he demanded, hardly caring that Malfoy was drawing his wand from a pocket in his robes.

Another laugh; undoubtedly more sinister this time.

"What have you done to her?" Harry roared, striding towards him without heed. "TELL ME!"

"Only what needed to be done," said Malfoy. They were only metres apart now. "And now, Potter, I will do what needs to be done to you." He drew his arm back, smirking with delight as Harry stood there, paralyzed with grief.

"_Avada Ked-"_

"_EXPELLIARMUS!" _Harry bellowed, throwing out his hand. Malfoy flew backwards twenty feet, shock freezing his face until he crumpled under the impact with the cold stone wall behind him. Harry strode forwards, practically flaming with anger. _"Prenderello!"_

Malfoy's body soared upwards. Suspended there, helpless, Malfoy looked as the wizard used his bare hands to cast powerful magic; spells that even he did not know. They grabbed at him, burning his skin and freezing his mind. Harry was barely breathing as he launched spell after spell at the Death Eater, causing as much pain as he could. He thought only of Gemma.

"Where is she?" Harry asked him.

"I – I-" started the Death Eater.

"Wrong answer, I'm afraid," said Harry. He brought Malfoy's body down a few feet and punched him squarely in the nose. "Tell me," he commanded, his voice low.

Malfoy pointed feebly to the last alleyway on the right of the street up ahead. "There," he mumbled, blood trickling out of his mouth.

Harry took one last look at him; the man who had ruined and would ruin so many lives. Without a second's extra thought, he threw a hand out at him and blasted Malfoy's body through the nearest store window. The explosion of the glass only echoed slightly in his mind as he set off running, always running…

His feet couldn't move fast enough for his mind as he sprinted around the corner. But… no. He couldn't see anything. There was nothing here.

_Malfoy,_ Harry thought murderously. _You lying bastard._

His heart clenched as the sun momentarily broke through the darkness of the sky. Wait – what was that? A shadow lay across the ground at the end of the alley… suddenly the sun was gone and Harry was gripped with pain. _God, no… please, no_…

He ran, lighting his wand and holding it up above as the darkness grew denser with every step… he was nearing the end of the alleyway…

"Oh no," he whispered aloud, as the light from his wand fell across a darkened form. Dark hair spilled out behind the body that lay facing opposite him.

"Gemma!" he cried, dropping his wand and sprinting the final few steps towards her. He grabbed at her, pulling her body towards him… her lifeless body…

"_Gemma,"_ he whispered, turning her face towards him. Her eyes were closed in peaceful rest and her beautiful face was only slightly pale.

There was no use checking for a pulse. She was gone.

Tears dripped from his cheeks and on to hers. "Gemma," he whispered, again and again. "Gemma, please, _no."_

He pulled her closer to his chest, clutching her to him as his body wracked with sobs. _"Gemma," _he murmured shakily. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Are you ready, then?" James asked her. Lily nodded. He stepped out from behind the tree and raised his wand in the air.

"_Accio _broom!" he yelled. He had no idea how long it would take, but he thought only of the broom… they needed it, to survive…

And suddenly it was flying towards them, gliding alongside them; James hopped one leg over it and pulled Lily on behind him.

"Hold on," he warned her, and felt her grip his stomach in a grasp that seemed somewhat familiar.

He sent the broom into a steep climb and pushed it hard to gain as much momentum as possible. He knew they had only seconds before they would be seen. He turned the broom sharply above the trees and passed the Tower with the knowledge that they had left the last bit of shelter available to them.

He flew faster still, and felt Lily tighten her grip on him. The prematurely darkened sky above them rumbled with thunder and the first remnants of rain splashed down on them.

Angry yells came from the ground and several blackened figures came together below. Over the thunder, he couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew they had only seconds to get to the café. He could see another of the blasting spells being loaded in some sort of cannon and pushed the broom to its fastest extent. They soared over the Parisian skyline, Lily holding tighter to him with every second. He managed to pick out the café from the wreckage below and threw the broom into a steep dive. Lily let a strangled gasp as they descended, her stomach in her throat.

He could hear the spell whistling behind them and knew it must have been fired… only ten seconds, they could still make it, there was still time…

The broom was going faster than James had ever gone in his life, and James knew it would be hard to time their departure… eight seconds now…

"Get out the key!" he shouted to Lily, his voice muffled by the wind. Rain crashed down on them, thunder groaned and lightning flashed, but he could still hear the whistling of the bomb coming towards them… five seconds…

And though it scared him to do it, he slowed the broom down and pulled the nose up a fraction… four seconds… they were a block away and still going… three seconds… the blast was right behind them, the noise and panic blinding him… two seconds…

Suddenly, they were above the café and simultaneously grabbing the portkey… suddenly, it was pulling at their navels, dragging at their bodies… suddenly, they were going back.

The blast hit the café a second later, and suddenly, there was nothing left.


	30. A Time For Return

**Chapter Thirty: A Time For Return**

They landed on the muddy ground of the outskirts of Hogsmeade with a thump. The rain poured down on them with such force that they were drenched to the bone within seconds. Lily immediately began to shiver.

James was off the ground already, mud splattered down his robes and across his face, pulling her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and sat her on the broom in front of him. As they were raised from the ground and flew towards Honeydukes, she was glad for the protection his arms offered her.

"Just a little longer," he murmured to her. She sank back against him and lowered her eyes from the lightning that flashed ahead. The rain came down harder still. Finally, they were in front of the candy store, deserted of people, and they dismounted from the broom, rushing inside.

A blast of heat hit them but they had no time to get warm. They hurried through the front and into the back room, ducking into the cellar. James knew there was no way they could negotiate the broom through the tunnel, especially with two people on it, so they were forced to shrink it and to go by foot instead. Exhausted, but knowing they had to get back to the castle as quickly as possible, they ran and ran, and Lily could not help but think that she'd definitely fulfilled her exercise quota for the year during that day.

And then they were there, leaving the tunnel and exiting the one-eyed witch statue; they ran again, almost collapsing with the fatigue that ran through their bones… down corridor after corridor – _empty_ corridor after corridor… where was everyone?

"Let's try the Great Hall," suggested Lily, having no idea what the time was. More corridors with no people skidded past as they made their way down staircase after staircase. Finally, _finally_, they were coming down the stairs to the Entrance Hall…

James wrenched the doors open and they sprinted inside.

Nobody was there.

James swore loudly. Lily fought the urge to kick something and instead took a deep breath.

"Dumbledore's office?" she suggested. James exhaled and nodded. They started out the door and back into the Entrance Hall, when –

"Professor!" said Lily in shock. There, before them, stood Dumbledore, his face solemn.

"Sir," said James hurriedly, "in Paris – there was an attack – we were-"

"It's alright, James," said Dumbledore, moving towards them. "I know where you were today. And the Ministry is sending in Aurors and Healers now."

Lily and James exchanged surprised looks. "How did you-?"

He held up a hand to silence them, and instead beckoned them towards him. "Please, Lily, it is of no importance. I have some very grave news for the both of you."

Lily felt a lump grow in her throat. "What – what is it? Is Harry-?"

"Harry is fine, Miss Evans. He returned to the castle via a copy of the same portkey you used and is waiting for us in my office."

"Then – what is it?" asked James, frowning.

"I'm very sorry to tell you both, that…" he seemed to take a deep breath, "that Miss Morredale – Gemma – was murdered today. By Lucius Malfoy."

She couldn't breathe. _Not… Gemma? No, God, no! It… can't be true… _"Please, no…"Tears sprung at her eyes and the lump grew larger in her throat.

Somewhere, in the distance, a bell was ringing, signaling the end of classes.

"Harry found her," Dumbledore went on. "He brought her body back to the castle. He is in my office now."

Lily could barely hear him. _Oh, my God… it's all my fault, we shouldn't have gone… if we'd stayed here, in the castle… of, Gem, what have I done?_ Tears poured freely off her cheeks, her shoulders crumpling with the pain. Gemma was gone, she was never – never – coming back. She tried to draw in breathe but it burnt her throat, her lungs, her heart. She felt like the walls were closing in on her…

_She's dead… it's all your fault… _

She felt James move to put his arms around her, but she flinched, moving instinctively. She didn't want him to touch her; she didn't deserve that affection… she pulled away, turned on her heel and ran to the doors.

She could hear him yelling after her, but she kept running. She wrenched the huge oak doors with more strength than she ought to have possessed after the day she'd been through. Suddenly, she was running, _again_, across the grounds and away from the castle.

She could hardly see through the tears; she'd no idea where she was going. All she knew was that was she wanted to run. She needed to run, get away from the pain…

Trees flashed past in the corners of her eyes as she ran. The autumn leaves, the blood reds and starkly oranges, fell down in unison with the rain. Exhaustion heaped upon her and she collapsed to her knees, sobs wracking at her body…

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see James, on his knees too, in front of her. "Lily," he said softly. "Lily. It's going to be okay."

She looked into his eyes, past the pain and the hurt and the grief that was so clearly written in them, and saw the honesty buried there. She could tell him anything, she knew.

"It's my fault," she whispered to him, fresh tears spilling over. "It's all my fault. It was my idea – if we hadn't gone-"

"It is _not_ your fault," he told her, his tone firm. "It's only Voldemort's fault, it's only that _bastard's _fault… you know how many lives he's ruined… yours, mine…"

"Gemma's…" she murmured. Her face crumpled with the anguish and she brought her hands to her face, weeping into them. His arms went around her and she caved into them.

The rain came down on their frozen forms as he held her, their clothes drenched. Her flaming hair hung down her back like a curtain as she cried, his arms never leaving her once.

"James," she whispered, gulping down air. "Promise me something."

He looked with sorrow at the fatigue and heartache in her face and nodded, his own face solemn. "Anything."

"Promise me you'll never leave me," she murmured, her eyes locked with his. The need for him to stay with her absorbed her; filled her with longing.

"Of course I won't," he said, smiling softly through the sadness. She held tighter to him, her face buried in his chest. He placed a hand under chin and tilted her face up to his.

She could see the same look in his eyes, but… something was different… she knew what it was this time…

"Lily," he said. "Look at me. I love you. I'm not going anywhere."

Her heart burst with happiness, pain, longing, and unbridled, exuberant love…

Suddenly, _finally,_ he was kissing her, his lips on hers, and she melted into him… this was where she belonged… he would protect her for all their lives – together.

They broke apart and she looked at him again, remnants of tears still shining on her cheeks. "I love you, too," she said simply. In spite of everything, all the deaths they had seen that day and the pain they had felt, those four small words made his face brake into a smile that seemed to blind her. He kissed her again, and she felt wetness on her cheeks once more – although, this time, she couldn't tell whose tears they were.

* * *

Harry sat rigidly in Dumbledore's office, staring out of the only window into the grounds below. Birds swooped low over the lake as the sun eased out of sight, ending the day, never to return to this moment. A single tear traced his skin, uninterrupted. His heart didn't feel broken – it felt shattered. 

He heard the low creak of the door as Dumbledore entered, his footsteps hardly making a sound in the emptiness of the office. All too soon, Harry felt the old man's hand on his shoulder, and the throb in his throat intensified.

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Dumbledore, his voice weary and sighing. "I'm so sorry. It was far too early in her life for Gemma to die."

"Of course it was," snapped Harry, another tear escaping. He brushed it away impatiently. "She didn't do anything. _Anything._ That bastard is the one who deserves to die."

"Lucius Malfoy has not been found," said the Headmaster murmured. "I believe that he was picked up by several Death Eaters when they ran from the Aurors."

Harry's jaw clenched and his body heaved an involuntary breath. "Did – did the Minister believe that – about Malfoy… did he believe he was a Death Eater?"

It was the Dumbledore's turn to sigh, his body creaking with the weariness of old age as he sat down next to Harry. "No," he said quietly. "No, he did not."

"Why _not?_ The man is dangerous, he'll kill again. He strolls around the Ministry like he owns the place! They give him access to our government, for Merlin's sake!"

Dumbledore turned from the window and met Harry's gaze squarely. "Cornelius Fudge has always been rather short-sighted, and I believe that this will not be amended in future years."

"Wait and see, Sir," replied Harry, his voice bitter. "This is just the start of Fudge running the Ministry to the ground."

Dumbledore frowned momentarily in apparent despondency, before turning back to the young man beside him whom he would next see as an infant. "We must fight always, Harry," he said softly. "There will only be light in this world as long as those who believe in the fight oppose the darkness."

Harry's cheeks, already glistening with tears, were once again slick with wetness as his eyes welled up. "I will Sir," he said, his voice steady, regardless. "I'll fight forever. I'll fight for her."

* * *

Sometime later, Lily and James finally began to make their way up to the castle. They'd sat beneath the trees around the lake, James' arm around Lily and his chin on her shoulder as she leaned against him; his love was her protection. Her heart swelled as she looked at him in the late afternoon sunlight. He met her gaze, his arm going around her waist automatically, and pulled her close, kissing her forehead softly. 

She smiled sadly and gazed at the castle's beauty, her eyes alighting on a person sitting in one of the windows of the Astronomy Tower. She stopped abruptly, pulling on James' arm.

"It's Harry," she said softly, pointing.

Wordlessly, he pulled the broom out of his pocket and enlarged it. They flew to the Astronomy Tower, the twilight sun shining on their faces and the wind whipping behind them. They landed twenty metres behind Harry, who sat with his back to them, staring out over the grounds.

Lily walked up behind him with a distraught face. Her heart broke at the sadness etched into his own as she kneeled beside him.

"It's okay, honey. I'm here."

He looked at her, his eyes wild with grief, tears threatening. She felt tears trickle down her own cheeks as she circled him with her arms.

"Mum – Gemma – she's gone-" his body wracked with sobs and he held onto her with a death grip.

"We know," she murmured, her voice soothing him. "She's – she's in a better place now…"

Harry sobbed into her shoulder and she couldn't help but be partly unattached to the scene, as though watching it from an outsider's perspective. Her son needed her protection, and she would give it to him – she would always give it to him.

James walked over, his watery eyes glistening. He put his arms around both of them, kissing Lily's hair.

"I love you both, you know that?" said Harry, his voice shaking with emotion. "I love you so much. I don't want to go."

"We know," murmured James. "We love you too. And believe me, I would love nothing more than to have a son for a little longer. But you have a life back there… and you need to live it."

"We'll always love you, Harry," said Lily softly. "Even when we're not around, we'll love you. Forever."

_This is why I'm fighting,_ thought Harry. _I'm fighting so no one else will have to grow up without parents. I'm fighting because I choose to.

* * *

_

Lily and James sat in the kitchen, heating up pasta meals once again. Lily muttered the incantation to warm it and sat down next to James on one of the stools. She rested her head on his shoulder, weary from the day. The extremities of the emotions she had felt were nothing short of intense.

"Are you sure he'll be alright?"

"I'm sure," promised James. "I gave him a sleeping charm and my bed. He shouldn't wake until the morning."

"Good," she said. "I'm worried about him. I think he became too attached to our time… if he goes back, and wants to be here, with us – with Gemma – he won't live properly."

"I know," said James despondently. "But Harry's a smart kid. He knows when there's work to be done, and from the sound of things, there's a lot to be done in his time. He won't let others die by his own wallowing – if he can help, he will. He won't have time to think of us."

Lily smiled half-heartedly. "You're right."

"'Course I am," he grinned softly.

She punched his arm and the timers on the pasta went off. Pulling the covers back, they began to eat. Under the table, his hand reached for hers; connecting them, as they would be always from now on.

When they were finished, he stacked away their plates and led her to her room, closing the door and kissing her softly.

She kissed him back before pulling away with delight in her eyes. "You can't very well just invite yourself into a girl's bedroom, Mr. Potter," she smiled.

He kissed her again, eliciting a sigh from Lily. "No," he agreed, "but when our son has crashed my bedroom, I'd say it's my only chance for a good night's sleep."

She giggled quietly and kissed him, slowly at first, before he deepened it. His arms encircled her waist and she reached around his neck, pulling him down to the bed with her. He pulled himself up onto his palms above her, and as she stroked his cheek, a small yawn escaped her lips.

"That boring, am I?" he huffed indignantly with a grin. She laughed and pulled him down next to her, facing him.

"'Course not," she conceded, her hand ruffling his hair. "It's just been a-" she yawned "-_very_ long day."

"I know," he said, voiced laced slightly with sadness as he thought of his now-lost childhood friend. He looked at her - brilliant green eyes and flaming hair, standouts on the luminescent complexion – and smiled quietly. "You're beautiful."

She practically melted into his arms and he pulled her even closer, pulling the covers up around them and turning off the lamp. He watched, amused, as Lily burrowed into the warmth of both the quilt and his body, her long hair cascading across the pillow.

"I love you," she whispered. "Always."

He kissed her again, feeling their bodies meld together as one. "And I love you."

She smiled in the darkness. Finally – _finally_ – she was home.

* * *

Lily awoke suddenly, only half-aware of the sunlight streaming insistently through her – unfortunately – open curtains; a light knocking was coming from somewhere. She crawled out from the covers, disentangling herself from James, his mouth open and no expression on his face. She giggled and kissed his cheek, opening the door and walking into the common room. 

She could still hear the knock, and, as her brain started functioning once more, realized it was coming from the door. Frowning slightly, she walked towards it, pulling it open.

"Professor?" she asked in surprise. Dumbledore strode into the room, filling it, as usual, with only his presence. "What time is it?"

He glanced at her disheveled state with some amusement. "It's after twelve, Lily," he smiled quietly.

"At night?" she asked, her brain still not fully reverted to its normal alertness. He flicked his wand at the nearest window, drawing the curtains back.

"Oh."

"I need to speak to both you and James," he said, moving towards James' room.

"Uh – wait!" she cried. "Um… James is – is in there," she muttered blushing, pointing to her own room. He arched an eyebrow and she faltered further at his piercing, twinkling eyes. "Harry – Harry is in… James' room… so – so James had to sleep… somewhere…"

He smiled rather sardonically. "Indeed he did," he agreed, and Lily's cheeks flushed red. "Well, then. Would you like to wake him, or shall I? I rather think he'd… prefer you to."

She nodded, muttering something unintelligible, and hurried back to her room, barely opening the door as she slipped through.

"James," she whispered insistently as she reached the bed. He barely stirred. She poked his chest quickly: "James!"

He rolled over and, upon seeing her, smiled lazily. "Morning," he said, his voice rusty.

Her embarrassment melted some upon seeing his smile. _God, he looks so cute with his hair like that…_ she shook herself slightly. _Focus, Lily._

"Dumbledore's here," she said bluntly. _Nice._

"What?" said James, sitting up quickly. "As in – _here?"_

"As in right outside this door," she stated, as he swung his legs out of the bed and stood next to her.

"Oh crap."

"Don't worry, he already knows you're in here," she told him, leaning up to kiss him.

He hugged her thoughtfully. "At least that will soften the blow."

They walked out, hand-in-hand, and the Headmaster smiled at the pair.

James grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Sir."

"On the contrary, James. It is a delight to see that the two of you have finally got your act together."

James grinned wider, while Lily blushed madly.

"What… uh, what did you want to see us about, Sir?" asked Lily in a desperate attempt to change the subject. Thankfully, Dumbledore got straight to the point. In a way.

"Take a seat," he said, offering the couches to them.

"This is our dorm, Sir," James pointed out with a small grin. "Shouldn't we be offering you a seat?"

"Point taken," agreed Dumbledore, sitting in the nearest arm chair, followed by Lily and James on the couch.

"Now," began Dumbledore. "As you aware, Harry will be leaving us today."

Lily swallowed, nodding. James reached for her hand, his eyes rather dulled.

"I've made the appropriate arrangements, and he will go back to 1996 at 5.00 pm this afternoon."

"But that's only-" Lily glanced at the clock "-four and a half hours away," she said, disappointed. "Couldn't we have till this evening?"

"I'm afraid not, Lily. Harry must return at precisely the time he arrived, so as to make it believable that no time has passed to the others around him."

James sighed, his gaze dropping.

"You are welcome to see him off, however. He must leave from the large beech tree at the lake. It is imperative that we change nothing from his arrival."

Lily and James both nodded silently, looking solemn.

"Well, then," said Dumbledore, standing. "I will leave you for your final hours together. If you would like to go to Hogsmeade, you have my permission. I'll be in my office if you need anything."

They watched him leave, the purple robes he wore swishing around his feet. The door shut with a resounding echo.

"I guess we better go wake him up," murmured Lily. James nodded, pulling her to her feet. They entered James' room silently, seeing Harry curled up, looking almost exactly as James did when he slept.

Lily sat down on the bed next to him, her hand smoothing back his hair; she almost laughed at the mother's instincts coming out of her. "Harry," she whispered. "Harry, wake up."

He rolled over, his eyes groggy with sleep. "What's the time?"

"It's half-past twelve," said James with a smile.

"Jeez, Dad, you must have really knocked me out with that sleeping charm," he said, wincing as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that," said James sheepishly.

Lily smiled at him and looked at the three of them in their unkempt states. "Showers, then breakfast?" she suggested.

"Sounds good," said Harry, sloping off to James' bathroom directly.

"Hey!" yelled James good-naturedly. Harry raised a hand without looking back and closed the door behind him.

"You give them an inch, they take a mile," said James to Lily, as he followed her back the common room.

"You sound like such a father," laughed Lily, turning into him.

He smiled at her, leaning down to capture her lips with his. "Maybe-" he kissed her, his voice lowering "-we could conserve-" he kissed her again "-a little water…" His lips grazed her ear and she shivered.

Lily smiled regardless. "Wow, hotshot… you've got _such_ a way with words…"

He laughed and she kissed his cheek. "Can you blame a guy for trying?"

She walked towards her door, deliberately swaying her hips, and grinned as she the groan he elicited. Facing him, she closed the door with a smirk.

He sank down on the couch, his smile growing as he realized he finally had the one thing he'd longed for since his first day at Hogwarts. _Lily.

* * *

_

In the end, they spent the day by the lake. They visited the kitchen and the house elves happily packed a hamper for them to take, complete with a roast chicken, a loaf of bread, different cheeses, pumpkin juice and treacle tart. The house elves were delighted by their visit, and especially by James, Lily noticed. They greeted him like a well-respected old friend, and Lily and Harrylooked on, amused.

The lake was unusually empty for a Saturday afternoon, with only a few students fathered around it. Harry, Lily and James sat away from them, heading for the sun rather than the shade, enjoying what was sure to be some of the last remnants of real sunshine for a long while.

"We've had some pretty good weather while you've been here, Harry," said James, laying back in the grass and admiring the clear blue sky. Nothing could have been better; the company, the weather, the food. James' mood, however, was tinged with the smallest sadness – this would be their last meal together.

"Very true," agreed Harry. "Perfect weather, actually. Especially today."

He lay back too, followed soon by Lily.

"I love the sky like this," she commented. "It's the most intense blue you've ever seen, the trees are red with the fall, and the grass is greener than ever." She laughed aloud. "Pun most definitely intended."

Harry rolled his eyes, laughing. "You dork, Mum."

She laughed again, enjoying the sun on her face with closed eyes. She could picture the three of them lying back in the grass, eyes closed, spouting nonsensical sentences; the picture of a perfect family. All except the fact that Harry was 16 and she and James were only 17… probably a little early in life for children of such an age. Or any children, for that matter.

James lifted his hand, brushing Lily's cheek. She smiled and captured his hand in her own without opening her eyes.

"Were we what you expected us to be?" James asked his son suddenly. Lily opened her eyes finally and looked over in interest.

"Well… yes and no," admitted Harry. "I saw Sn- someone's memory once, and I saw what happened between you guys that day on the lake in fifth year."

Lily laughed but James scowled slightly at the memory. "I was such a prick back then."

"Back then?" said Lily in pretend-indignation. James threw a leaf at her.

"I thought Dad must have forced you to marry him, or something," grinned Harry. "Or else Sirius locked the two of you in a cupboard at some stage to get rid of all that – uh – _tension."_

James slapped him around the head playfully, grinning. "What about my charm? Shouldn't that come into it somewhere?"

"No," said Lily and Harry together instantly. James scowled jokingly.

"And I never would have thought of Mum as the resident female-Sirius at Hogwarts," laughed Harry.

"Hey! I resent that," yelped Lily. "What that boy does only he does. I was _never_ that bad."

"Wanna bet?" asked James, leaning into her. She rolled over quickly and tickled his stomach, leaving him breathless before kissing him gently.

Harry sat up and watched. "Gross," he observed idly.

Lily grinned at him, laying back down on the grass. "Do you think you'll miss us?"

Harry looked at her incredulously. "Are you kidding?" He thought about it quickly. "No."

James grinned. "Say it like that and it goes both ways, kid."

"Of course I will, you dopes," smiled Harry. "You're my parents."

They smiled at him almost identically; James with the unruly black hair and crinkled hazel eyes, Lily with fiery locks and green eyes like emeralds. He was everything they were. He was their reflections, joined.

"Can you promise me something?" Harry asked them, his voice suddenly quiet.

"Anything," said James truthfully, Lily nodding at his side.

"You – you won't forget her, will you?" It was evident who he meant.

"Harry," said Lily in surprise. "We could never forget Gemma. She was one of our best friends. We loved her."

"Good," he said quietly, looking away. A tear dripped off the end of his nose.

"We'll never forget you, either," murmured James, voice laced with comforting reassurance.

"Promise me," he whispered, his gaze returning to them, "promise me you won't."

"We could never," said Lily, voice fierce with emotion. "Never, in a million years."

"Yeah," said James, smiling softly. "Especially not when you're waking us up at three in the morning wanting a cuddle."

Harry laughed quietly, wiping the tears from his face. He hadn't noticed till now the sun dipping in the sky. He looked at his watch. It was 4:50.

"We have to go," he murmured. He rose to his feet slowly, his gaze on the sunlight rippling the lake. He felt his parents rise beside him.

Lily moved to him, her eyes meeting with his. "Remember this moment," she said quietly. "Whenever you need it, remember this day when we at by the lake, and remember how much we love you."

* * *

They met Dumbledore by the beech tree. The Headmaster held the Time Turner in his palm. The sun was low in the sky by this time, with only the twilight colours evident in it. 

"It's almost time," said Dumbledore. "Where were you standing when you picked up the Time Turner?"

"Um… over here, I think," said Harry, moving to a spot beneath the branches. "Yes, here."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," he replied.

"Very well, then," said Dumbledore. "At 5:00 pm, I will tap the Time Turner and hand it to you. It will take you back. Remember, you need to act as though no time has passed."

"I remember," smiled Harry. "Well, Professor-" he extended his hand "-it's been a pleasure."

"Likewise," said Dumbledore, returning the smile. "I will have to sit down with you in 1996 and chat about this adventure of yours."

"Pencil me in," agreed Harry.

"Hey," came a voice, "you weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?"

He looked around and saw Sirius and Remus jogging over, beaming at him. He grinned and hugged them briefly each.

"Thanks for coming to see me off," said Harry.

"No worries, mate," beamed Sirius. "It's been great getting to know you."

"Here's to seeing you in the future – hopefully!" grinned Remus. Harry just smiled back.

Sirius and Remus turned to leave. "Don't forget to write!" called Sirius. Harry shook his head and grinned wider.

Finally, he turned to his parents. Lily came over first, tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.

"I'll miss you," she whispered. "More than you'll know."

"I'll miss you too," he told her. He hugged her, her arms tightening around him.

"Don't forget, that even when I'm not around, I'll be watching you," she smiled, the tears now falling freely. "So don't go getting into trouble, okay? I'll get too worried."

"I'll try not to, but I can't make any promises," he warned her, with a sad smile. "Look after Dad, won't you? He's loved you for a long time. Don't break his hurt."

"I'm not going anywhere," she assured him. "I think I loved him for even longer." She hesitated. "We'll take care of everything for Gemma's funeral."

He looked at her, a profound intensity filling his eyes. "Thank you. For everything."

She nodded once, hugging him again. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mum."

He watched her walk away, sadness filling his heart. He turned to see his father standing before him.

"I'm really glad – and proud – that I got to meet you," said James, his voice rough with emotion.

"So am I," said Harry. "You've made me a better person, Dad."

James' eyes welled instantly and they embraced, man-to-man and father-to-son.

"I'll miss you," James told him as they returned to be face-to-face.

"I'll miss you more," laughed Harry.

"Good luck with Quidditch."

"You too."

"We'll… uh – we'll take care of everything with Gemma."

"Yeah, Mum said. Thanks for that," said Harry, fighting back more tears. "So much. It means a lot to me that she'll always be remembered, you know?"

"Definitely," agreed James.

"Take care of Mum," Harry told him quietly. "Don't ever hurt her."

"I won't," promised James, nodding.

A voice interrupted them. "I'm sorry, but there is only a half a minute left," said Dumbledore.

Harry nodded. He hugged Lily again, then James. "I love you both," he told them.

"We love you," said James and Lily together. Harry nodded one final time, before moving back to the spot underneath the tree. James held onto Lily, tears streaming freely down each of their cheeks.

Dumbledore levitated the Time Turner. "Five seconds," he said softly.

"Four-"

Harry looked at his parents, feeling nothing but love and admiration for them. They smiled back at him, hiding the sadness beneath genuine smiles of love.

"Three-"

"Goodbye," he said. He waved at them and they mouthed goodbye back.

"Two-"

Dumbledore tapped the Time Turner once. Harry grabbed it, his eyes never leaving his parents' faces.

"One."

A flash of light, and then… nothing. He was gone.

* * *

Harry landed suddenly, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. 

"What is it?" he heard a voice ask. Ron sat on the ground near him, squinting at the object in his hand. And there, there was Hermione too, bushy hair and all. His heart swelled instantly. He was back. He'd had no idea how much he'd missed his friends.

"What's what?"

"The thing in your hand, you idiot," laughed Ron.

"A Time Turner," grinned Harry.

"Cool!" said Ron in amazement.

Daringly, Harry twisted the small key on the side. Nothing happened. "Not so cool, actually. It's broken." He smiled softly, wondering if there was anything Dumbledore didn't plan for.

"It is not _cool_, Ron. If that had have worked, only God knows where Harry might've ended up. He could have gone to school with his parents, even!"

"Blimey," said Ron. "Imagine that!"

Harry laughed aloud. _Yeah,_ he though. _Imagine that.

* * *

_

THE END


	31. An Epilogue

**A Shift In Time's Clockworks: An Epilogue

* * *

**

A boy who was fast becoming a man reached the door of his dormitory, sighing with the weariness that had settled on him through out the day. The NEWT level courses he was studying were already taking their toll, only three months into his sixth-year.

He pushed the door open, welcomed by the accustomed clutter and mess that seemed to go hand-in-hand with teenage boys. He eased the heavy book bag of his well-toned shoulder, the result of many hard hours put in to Quidditch, of which he was now captain of his house team, Gryffindor.

Vaguely, as he sat down on his own four-poster bed (sweeping several books out of the way as he did so), Harry Potter wondered where the rest of the boys from his dorm were. However, it wasn't unusual for the dormitory to be empty at this time of the day. Many of the students were resorting to working in the library to finish homework between the end of classes and dinner, as was Ron especially, in – what Harry knew – was an effort to spend more time with Hermione. He sighed again, barely able to keep his eyes open; kicking his shoes off, he lay down properly on the comfortable mattress.

Fate evidently disagreed with this idea as something scratched his head as it hit the pillow. Pulling at the source of discomfort, he found three envelopes and a small package in his hand, all addressed to him.

"What the hell?" he said aloud in surprise. _Where did these come from?_ He didn't recognize the writing. He pulled out his wand and performed a tricky little charm he had learnt from Professor Flitwick, searching for any trace of Dark magic or harm. Nothing; they were clean. Cautiously, he opened the first.

The date atop the letter, in a loopy, haphazard scrawl, read April 20**th**, 1978.

_Dearest Harry, a.k.a. _The Boy Who Traveled Through Time Only To Discover His Parents And Their Handsome, Thoughtful, Generous Friend As Seventeen Year Olds

_It's me! Sirius! Writing to you in the future. I have no idea how I will get this message to you, due to the fact that you are 30 years away, but I'm sure it will eventually find its way to you. Maybe I should try a message in a bottle, and throw it in the lake? I heard Lily say something about that the other day, although I'm not entirely sure what she meant; it sounds rather stupid to me. I mean, wouldn't it get wet, and therefore ruined? Plus, what are the chances of the person you want to find it, actually finding it? _

_But I digress._

_Life is swell here, now that your parents have _finally got it together_. No more unresolved sexual tension! Yes! But seriously, Evans and Prongs make the best couple. I can't believe it took them so bloody long to hook up, though. If they had just figured out that they actually love each other ages ago, we wouldn't have had to have been put through all that drama._

_In other news: Frank and Alice are still going strong, Remus is still running off to study with Chloe at every opportunity, and I broke it off with Courtney. She was far too possessive. Doesn't she understand a man needs his space? So now… I've got my eye on Kelly. I let it slip to Prongs but, who let of course then let it slip to Lils, and now I've got a price on my head if I do anything to hurt her. Hmm._

_Last weekend, on the full moon, we went out to the Shack and –_

…

_That was James, sorry. Running about and shouting some madness about jewellery. For Lily, I guess. Every opportunity that boy gets, he goes and buys her more stuff – if she lets him. When they eventually get married, live together, have mini-Evans and mini-Prongs and stuff, they'll need three extra rooms in the house to fit all the stuff he's bought her in. I can't think of what else he could – _

…

……

……………

WHAT!

_Holy – I don't know. Merlin, or something._

_James has just delivered the news of the century. Here's how the previous conversation (he's just ran off again) went:_

**James:** _(madly looking through his drawers)_ I'm gonna do it, Padfoot. I can't believe it's taken me this bloody long to think of it!

**Me: **Do what?

**James: **I'm going to propose to Lily! Straight after Graduation on our last night here. It'll be perfect. I'll take her down to the lake and –

**Me: **ARE YOU SERIOUS? Prongs, you're seventeen! I mean, Merlin knows I love Lils and all, and I've never seen you happier, but you're not even out of school yet! Do you even have money for the ring?

**James: **_(ignoring my words of wisdom)_ I'm in complete control of my finances, thanks to my inheritance. I'll be more than able to buy her a ring. I'll buy her a necklace too! _(Laughs at his own sad joke)_

**Me: **Firstly, stop laughing at your own joke. Hate to break it to you, mate, but it wasn't funny to begin with. Sorry. Secondly, what about Dumbledore's place? Aren't you guys moving in there at the end of school?

**James: **_(frowns)_ Yeah… so?

**Me:** So… won't that just be weird? The two of you living there, engaged, with Dumbledore?

**James:** _(finally finds pouch of money and straightens up, ignoring me again)_ Found it! Back soon, Padfoot!

Exeunt **James.**

_So, yeah… OH. MY. GOD. _

_Mustn't tell Lily. Mustn't tell Tammie who will tell Lily. Mustn't tell Kelly who will tell Tammie who will tell Lily. _

_Crap, who can I tell?_

_Remus! Look, here he is now!_

…

……

_Well, he took the news slightly better than, say, me._

**Me: **Remus! James is proposing to Lily on Graduation Night and he's just run off to Hogsmeade with a bagful of Galleons to buy her the ring!

**Remus: **What?

_And people say he's the smart one._

**Me: **I said, James is proposing to –

**Remus: **I heard you the first time, Sirius –

_This makes no sense at all. If he heard me, why did he say, 'what?' Honestly._

**Remus: - **and I'm sure Lily will say yes. This is great news!

**Me: **Don't tell Lily.

**Remus:** Of course I won't.

**Me: **Or Tammie who will tell Lily.

**Remus: **Right.

**Me: **Or Kelly who will tell Tammie who will tell Lily.

**Remus: **…

**Me: **So basically no one.

**Remus: **What about - ?

**Me: **Frank? Nah. He'll tell Alice who will tell Kelly who will tell Tammie who will tell Kelly.

**Remus: **… Um… okay. I'm just… gonna… go to the library? Or something. See you later.

_Exeunt **Remus**. _

_But now I really think about, this is pretty much the best idea that James has ever had. He couldn't hold a girl like Lily down for long… better break out the bling. _

_Just kidding. _

_Honestly, Harry, I bet you're glad your father's finally come to his senses (or rather lost his mind – he did seem slightly weird when he ran, didn't he? Hmmm.) and is going to ask Lils to marry him – they can get started on that pregnancy plan and we can have the mini-version of you running around!_

_So there's my excitement for the day. _

_Well._

_This past year has gone so quickly, Harry. Wait till you're seventeen and you'll see what I mean. NEWTs are pretty much the lamest thing ever. Even _I've _been studying – they're that hard._

_There was one other thing I wanted to tell you, Harry…_

_Gemma's funeral was beautiful. _

_Seriously. There were so many people there – we just sent out a general, public invitation to the whole school and almost everyone came. There were flowers everywhere, huge big white ones. It was at that park in Hogsmeade at the end of the main street. You would have thought it was perfect for her, I think._

_I tell you, though; I've never seen anything sadder than Gemma's parents. Mr. Morredale cried the whole time and Mrs. Morredale just kept staring at Gemma's coffin with this lost look on her face. Both of them had black circles under their eyes and looked like they hadn't eaten in days. My heart broke just looking at them. They hugged us all, James especially, like they never wanted to let go._

_I miss her, Harry. I know you probably do too. But you need to focus on your own life now, okay? Just hang out with your friends and do your homework and get detention and be normal. I know it's hard to move on from your first love – _

At this, Harry throat tightened and he hastened to clear, noticing the small watery drops that had were dropping onto the page. He smoothed the letter out, taking deep, shuddering breaths, forcing himself to keep reading. Sirius was right: he needed to keep on living. Not like he had been lately. He steeled his gaze back to the page.

_- but Gemma's in a better place now. And… don't you think… it's hard for me to say this, but… don't you think it's better this way? There's no way you and Gemma could have been together when you went back, and imagine how awkward it would have been if you'd ran into her as 30-something year old? I'm not saying I'm glad she died, or anything – of course not, I miss her like crazy… but… I don't know. _

_So, that's how things have been around here. Voldemort's still terrorizing the place, or trying to, and the Ministry are training as many potential Aurors as they can get their hands on. People are saying that Hogwarts is the safest place to be, and I reckon they're right – as long as we've got Dumbledore, I'm not worried. Of course, we are leaving in a month, but whatever – Prongs and Lils have filled me in on that Order business they're a part of, and Dumbledore reckons he'll let me join once school's done. I momentarily considered throwing a tantrum at being made to wait longer than the other two – I mean, I am both older and devastatingly better looking than James – but these bloody NEWTs are taking all up my free time and I just figured that maybe it was best to wait. Also, Lils was glaring at me behind Dumbledore's back, and in no way do I want to evoke that particular redhead's temper. _

_Well, I must be off, Prongslet. Never fear, I'll send your regards to your folks._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Sirius/Padfoot/The Godfather._

Harry smiled to himself, his chest aching only slightly at the loss of his godfather only a few months ago. Remembering the other two envelopes, he opened the one dated 28th August, 1979.

_Harry!_

_I found myself writing to you again, once more with no actual idea as to how these letters will ever be able to be read by their intended reader. Well, whatever. It doesn't matter. I just had to tell you the great news – _

_James and Lily got married!_

_Yep, they're really hitched. It was a really nice ceremony, on the grounds of Dumbledore's place – which is huge, by the way, and amazingly awesome – with all our friends, family, etc. It was really sad that neither Lils or James's parents could be there, but we made sure that neither of them dwelled on that for too long. _

_Of course, I, as best man, got to make a speech, which, of course, everyone loved. I'm sure I even saw a tear in dear old Minerva's eye. But then again, she's long had a thing for me – it's public knowledge! She'd have to fight Kelly for me, though. Yes, it's true – we're still together, and you can pick your jaw up off the ground now, thanks. We're looking for a place together at the moment. She's amazing, Harry. I don't know what took me so long to see it. I'm happy, you know?_

_Life is good._

_Lily and James are both first year Aurors already – they got fast-tracked through the Academy on account of them both being bloody fantastic at what they do. The head Auror, Mad-Eye Moody, is practically in love with them both – according to James, he keeps pointing them out at Auror meetings and heralding them as the 'future of Magical Law Enforcement' or some such crap. _

_Remus is currently training to become a Professor. He's been assisting at an 'Initial Magical Education' school for financially disadvantaged children, where kids learn mostly literacy and basic numeric skills, as well as History of Magic and some practical magical experiments. He really likes it, I think, but eventually he wants to end up back at Hogwarts, this time teaching. I'm sure he'd make a great professor!_

_I'm working in the security section of the Ministry; basically, it's mostly personal security for the higher ranking officials. The Minister's asked me to become his personal bodyguard next year. I've had to think about it, because it'll mean more time away from Kelly, but we could really use the extra galleons… _

_Pete's working at Flourish & Blott's for a bit while he waits for his Magical Theorems course to start. I have no idea what it entails and quite frankly am too disinterested to ask, but each to their own, eh? Tammie's working with an up-and-coming broom company called Nimbus. She's only an intern at the moment, but they're offered her a full-time position as a trainee broom-developer starting in January next year. Frank Longbottom's gone into the Auror academy as well, and Alice, his fiancée, is a trainee Healer. Kelly's being backed by her parents to design a range of more modern-fashion female wizarding robes and dress-robes. _

_We turned out pretty well, don't you think?_

_- Sirius._

Harry, still mulling over the contents of it, went to place the letter back in its envelope and noticed an extra piece of paper inside. It was a photo, he realized, of his parent's wedding. At an immaculately set table, he could Sirius, Peter and Remus off to James's right and Kelly and Tammie of Lily's left. While the people around them chatted animatedly within the picture, James and Lily had eyes only for each other; in amidst all of the chaos was the two of them, sharing a secret smile.

Grabbing his wand, he enlarged the photo and transfigured a frame for it, placing it on his bedside table. He stared at for a full minute, seeing all those faces he knew so well from his four weeks in the past. He missed them all, more than he could say. He was glad that Sirius had Kelly in his life – or, at least, had had. She was good for him.

His hands came next upon the package, and he unwrapped it quickly, his hunger for the past now insatiable. His breath caught in his throat as he saw its contents – it was the shrunken picture Lily had painted for him and a miniature of the book of Potters his father had given him. He grinned, tears leaking from his eyes as he enlarged them both. The picture was amazing; his mother had astonishing talent. She had captured them all so well, and there was lifelike resemblance in each of their eyes. He couldn't wait to read the book, and find out more about the family he had never known.

Finally, he stumbled upon the last envelope. Shaky from emotion, his hands fumbled with the seal; he finally managed to rip it open and seized upon the letter inside. It was clumsily dated December 25th , 1979, and in a scrawl that took up half the page, read:

_LILY'S PREGNANT!_

_BEST. CHRISTMAS. PRESENT. EVER._

_Here you come, Prongslet!_

"Harry?" came a voice. Ginny was standing at the door timidly, her long red hair hanging around her face prettily. "Are you coming to dinner?"

He wiped the maniacal grin from his face quickly, although he could not hide the glee from his eyes. "Yeah, sure… just hang on a sec…" He stuffed the letters into his draw, and with his face hidden from her view and his back to her, allowed himself a huge grin. He turned back, his face rather more calm.

"You look like you just lost a knut and found a galleon," she told him, smiling almost quizzically. Her eyes were both questioning and caring. "What's up?"

He grinned at her and surprised her by leaning forward and taking her hand. She looked at their joined hands before turning her face to him, her eyes surprised but happy.

"Nothing," he smiled. "I just got an early Christmas present."


End file.
